17 Women’s World Cup – Africa on top of the World as Nigeria wins the title for the first time
History is rewritten! Nigeria has won the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026, defeating Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final. Doing so, the Nigerians have secured the first global title in their history in this age category, becoming the first African nation to lift the trophy.
The Nigerians has written a new chapter in the history of African football. Facing Japan in the final, they showed great character to claim a 2-1 victory and secure the world title.
Following a hard-fought first half, Nigeria took the lead in the 39th minute. Connecting with a pass from Mary Dunstan, Awawu Bashiru found the back of the net to put her team ahead (1-0).
Shortly after the break, the Nigerians extended their lead. In the 47th minute, Oluebube Umejiaku scored the team’s second goal, finishing off a move initiated by Esther Stephen (2-0). This valuable cushion allowed Nigeria to approach the remainder of the match with greater composure.
However, Japan did not give up. The Asian side gradually increased the pressure and were rewarded in the 80th minute; following a pass from Anri Ito, Fuki Ito narrowed the deficit, setting up a tense finish (2-1).
The final minutes were particularly nerve-wracking, with Japan pushing hard for an equalizer. Yet, the Nigerian defense held firm until the final whistle—even through five minutes of stoppage time. With this 2-1 victory, Nigeria makes history by winning its first-ever FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. It is a major achievement for the U-17 Falconets, who have secured the African continent’s first-ever title in this competition.
