Nigeria’s Flamingos will look to book their place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup when they face Benin Republic in the third and final round of the African qualifiers.
The first leg of the tie will be played at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne, on Saturday, July 4. The return leg will be held one week later, with the aggregate winner securing a place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The Flamingos head into the fixture in excellent form after recording an emphatic 11-0 aggregate victory over Guinea in the previous round. Nigeria dominated both legs and underlined their credentials as one of the continent’s strongest teams at youth level.
Benin Republic also earned their place in the final qualifying round with an impressive 5-1 aggregate win over Sierra Leone. The visitors will be hoping to spring a surprise against a Nigerian side with a rich history in the competition.
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The Flamingos have qualified for every edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup except the 2018 tournament. They have also reached the quarter-finals four times, in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2024.
Nigeria’s best performance came in 2022 when the team claimed a historic third-place finish. At the last edition in Morocco, the Flamingos progressed from the group stage as one of the best third-placed teams before losing 4-0 to Italy in the Round of 16.
With another World Cup ticket at stake, the Flamingos will be determined to make home advantage count in Ikenne before completing the task in the return leg. The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is scheduled to hold from October 17 to November 7.
