Nigeria’s Falconets have replaced captain Joy Igbokwe and midfielder Faridat Abdulwahab with Vivian Kachi and Alaba Olabiyi after the duo failed to secure visas for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
Igbokwe and Abdulwahab were unable to travel with the squad on Monday after unresolved visa issues delayed the team’s departure for the tournament.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) subsequently made the two replacements, with 20 players pictured with the squad following its arrival in Poland on Tuesday.
There is also uncertainty over the participation of striker Janet Akekoromowei, who arrived in Poland earlier but could yet miss the tournament amid reports that her Portuguese club, Benfica, has not released her for international duty.
Akekoromowei, formerly of Bayelsa Queens, sustained a career-threatening injury during the qualifiers in February, with her rehabilitation reportedly supported by Benfica.
Despite the setbacks, the Falconets have settled into their Polish base and begun their final preparations for the competition.
The team commenced training on Wednesday at Stadion Miejski, Fair Play Arena, with head coach Moses Aduku and his technical crew overseeing sessions focused on tactical organisation, technical execution, physical conditioning and team cohesion.
Nigeria will round off its preparations with two international friendlies, facing hosts Poland on 28 August and South Korea on 1 September.
The match against Poland will be played at the Municipal Stadium in Brzeg at noon local time on Friday, while the encounter with South Korea will take place at the Remes Resort & Spa Football Stadium from 4pm local time on 1 September.
The fixtures are expected to provide the Falconets with opportunities to acclimatise to the conditions in Poland, assess their tactical approach and gain valuable experience against different styles of play before the tournament begins.
They will also allow the technical crew to evaluate the team’s progress and make final adjustments as the players adapt to the intensity of international competition.
Nigeria have been drawn in Group F alongside Spain, China PR and New Caledonia.
The Falconets will open their campaign against Spain on 7 September before facing China PR on 10 September and New Caledonia on 13 September.
Nigeria, runners-up in 2010 and 2014, will be seeking to win the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup for the first time in Poland.
The country is one of only three nations, alongside Brazil and the United States, to have featured at every edition of the tournament. Germany, another long-standing participant, failed to qualify for this year’s competition.
