Falconets begin World Cup preparations as Abuja camp opens
Nigeria's U-20 women's national team, the Falconets, have officially kicked off preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, with training camp now open in Abuja ahead of the global tournament in Poland.
The competition will run from September 5 to 27, and head coach Moses Aduku has invited 28 players to camp as the team begins its quest for world glory. Sixteen players have already reported, while the remaining invitees are expected to arrive in the coming days.
The coaching crew wasted no time getting to work, putting the early arrivals through intensive training sessions focused on improving fitness, refining tactics and strengthening team chemistry ahead of the championship.
The Falconets secured their place at the World Cup after an impressive qualification campaign. They cruised past Rwanda with a 5-0 aggregate victory in the second round before overcoming Senegal 3-2 on aggregate. They sealed their ticket to Poland by edging Malawi 3-2 on aggregate in the final qualifying round.
The qualification extends Nigeria's remarkable record as the only African nation to feature in every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup since the competition was introduced in 2002.
Drawn in Group F, the Falconets will face Spain, China PR, and New Caledonia as they look to make another deep run in the tournament.
Twice runners-up in 2010 and 2014, and semi-finalists in 2012, the Nigerian youngsters will be aiming to go one step further this year by capturing their first-ever FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup title.
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