President Bola Ahmad Tinubu has congratulated Nigeria’s Flamingos on their run at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco and expressed confidence that the team can go all the way and win the trophy.
He praised the young players for their courage and discipline and said they had made the country proud on the global stage. He urged them to stay focused and keep carrying the hopes of millions of Nigerians.
The Flamingos lost their opening Group B match 2-1 to Poland but recovered with a 2-0 win over Puerto Rico and a 3-1 victory over defending champions DPR Korea.
They then beat Mexico 2-1 in the round of 16. In the quarter-final, captain Azeezat Oduntan scored an 89th-minute penalty to edge Venezuela 1-0 and send Nigeria into the semi-finals for the second time in the competition’s history.
It was the team’s fourth straight win and a first-ever World Cup final was within reach, with Brazil their semi-final opponents.
Nigeria won bronze at the 2022 edition in India, and no African side has won this title. President Tinubu assured the team and their handlers of the government’s full support, including the welfare and motivation they need to complete the job.
Coach Akeem Busari’s side now carries the country’s hopes of a first U-17 Women’s World Cup title for Nigeria
