Nigeria’s victorious Flamingos arrived in Abuja on Monday morning to a heroes’ welcome, two days after making history as the first African team to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The young Nigerians defeated Japan 2–1 in Saturday’s final at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Rabat, Morocco.
Awawu Bashiru opened the scoring in the 39th minute before Oluebube Umejiaku doubled Nigeria’s lead shortly after the restart. Japan’s Fuki Ito pulled one back in the 80th minute, but the Flamingos held firm to secure Nigeria’s maiden title in the competition.
Officials of the Nigeria Football Federation and supporters received the team at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where the players returned with the trophy and a landmark achievement for African women’s football.
The victory also made Nigeria the first African women’s side to win a FIFA world title at any level, according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who described the triumph as “well deserved.”
The championship capped an impressive campaign. Before travelling to Morocco, the Flamingos won the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire with five victories from five matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding only once.
At the World Cup, they recovered from an opening defeat by Poland to win six consecutive matches and lift the trophy.
Umejiaku, who scored the decisive goal in the final and won the tournament’s Golden Ball, said the triumph was the product of teamwork and discipline.
“We are history-makers. We made Nigeria, and the millions of people there, proud.”
Bashiru, who scored Nigeria’s opening goal in the final, promised that the team would return with the same energy at the next tournament.
Coach Busari, meanwhile, said the victory was the result of development, character and discipline rather than luck.
“What we are seeing now is not a fluke. It is about development, it is about character, and it is about fighting from the beginning to really get it right,” Busari said.
The team’s achievement has also brought financial recognition. Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu, a sponsor of the National Sports Commission, presented the squad with a $50,000 cash reward at a reception in Rabat.
The Presidency also facilitated the payment of outstanding bonuses and allowances owed to the players and officials from the qualifying rounds through to the final.
The payment was not a FIFA prize, as FIFA does not award prize money at its under-17 World Cups.
Instead, the governing body covers travel, accommodation and other official tournament logistics for participating delegations.
President Bola Tinubu congratulated the team, praising the players for showing “courage, discipline, determination and the Nigerian spirit of never giving up.”
He said their victory had written their names in gold and would inspire millions of young Nigerian girls to pursue their dreams through sport.
