By Ado Salisu
Nigeria’s U20 Women’s National Team, the Falconets, have resumed camping in Abuja as preparations intensify ahead of the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup scheduled for Poland from September 5 to 27.
A total of 28 players have been invited for the camping exercise, with 16 players already in camp as the team begins early preparations for the global tournament. The remaining invited players are expected to join the squad in the coming days.
The technical crew, led by head coach Moses Aduku, has commenced intensive training sessions aimed at strengthening the team and fine-tuning the players ahead of another campaign on the international stage.
The Falconets booked their place at the World Cup following an impressive qualifying run. They defeated Rwanda 5-0 on aggregate in the second round before overcoming Senegal 3-2 on aggregate in the penultimate round. Nigeria then secured qualification after edging Malawi 3-2 on aggregate in the final qualifying round.
The achievement further extended Nigeria’s remarkable record as the only African country to have featured in every edition of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup since the tournament was inaugurated in 2002.
Nigeria remains one of the most successful sides in the history of the competition, having finished as runners-up in 2010 and 2014, while also reaching the semi-finals in 2012.
At the 2024 edition hosted by Colombia, the Falconets started their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Korea Republic before progressing 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 hoping to build on their rich history in the competition and challenge for a maiden FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup title.
