2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup: 28 Players Invited as Falconets Resume Camp in Abuja
Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team, the Falconets, have resumed camping in Abuja as preparations intensify for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from September 5 to 27, with 28 players invited to the national team camp. Sixteen of the invited players have already reported, while more are expected to join the squad in the coming days.
The technical crew, led by Coach Moses Aduku, has immediately commenced intensive training sessions as the team begins preparations for another campaign on the global stage.
The Falconets secured their place at the tournament following an impressive qualifying campaign. They defeated Rwanda 5-0 on aggregate in the second round before overcoming Senegal 3-2 on aggregate in the penultimate round. Nigeria then sealed qualification with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Malawi in the final qualifying round.
The achievement further extended Nigeria’s remarkable record as the only African nation to have qualified for every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 2002.
Nigeria is also one of the most successful teams in the history of the tournament, having finished as runners-up in 2010 and 2014 and reached the semi-finals in 2012.
At the last edition in Colombia in 2024, the Falconets opened their campaign with a 1-0 victory over the Korea Republic before advancing to the Round of 16, where they were eliminated by Japan.
Drawn in Group F alongside Spain, China PR and Paraguay, the Falconets will be seeking to build on Nigeria’s rich history in the competition and mount a serious challenge for a maiden FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup title in Poland.
