Nigeria’s Falconets have been drawn alongside Spain, China and New Caledonia in Group F of the 2026 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, setting up a demanding campaign for the seven-time African champions when the tournament begins in Poland, According to Saturday PUNCH.
The draw was held on Thursday in Łódź, Poland, for the 12th edition of the competition, which runs from 5 to 27 September.
Spain represent the most formidable obstacle in the group, having won the title at the 2022 edition in Costa Rica. Their possession-based style and technical quality have established them as one of the dominant forces in women’s youth football, and they arrive as one of the tournament favourites once again.
China, with a rich history in women’s football and consistent tournament appearances, offer another stern test, while New Caledonia will be making their debut at the competition.
Nigeria qualified for the tournament after a tense two-legged tie against Malawi. The Falconets held a 2-0 advantage from the first leg but were pushed to the limit in the return fixture as Malawi’s Chinzimu struck twice, her second goal in the 57th minute levelling the tie on aggregate before Nigeria held on to advance.
The Falconets, alongside the United States and Brazil, are the only nations to have qualified for every edition of the tournament since it was introduced in 2002. Nigeria reached the final in both 2010 and 2014 but fell short of lifting the trophy on both occasions.
