Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, will take on Japan in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco on Saturday, November 7, with the aim of securing their maiden title.
The decisive encounter, which will be the 52nd and final match of the tournament, is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. Nigerian time at Pitch 3 of the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat.
The final will mark the first-ever meeting between Nigeria and Japan at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, as well as their first encounter in a global final.
Where to watch Nigeria vs Japan
Football supporters can follow the final live and free on FIFA+, with streaming also available through DAZN.
How Nigeria reached the final
The Flamingos endured a difficult start to their campaign, losing 2-1 to Poland in their opening group-stage fixture.
However, they recovered with a narrow victory over Puerto Rico before delivering one of the tournament’s biggest surprises by defeating defending champions DPR Korea 3-1.
Nigeria maintained their momentum with further wins against Mexico and Venezuela before overcoming Brazil in the semi-finals to book their place in the final for the first time in their history.
Queen Joseph played a crucial role in the victory over Brazil, contributing a goal and an assist to help the Nigerian side secure qualification.
With the achievement, Nigeria became the first African nation to reach the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
How Japan reached the final
Japan have also enjoyed an impressive run in Morocco, winning all their group-stage matches without conceding a goal.
Despite falling behind against Kenya in the round of 16, Sadayoshi Shirai’s side rallied to claim a 3-1 victory and advance to the next round.
They subsequently defeated Ghana to reach the semi-finals, where they faced DPR Korea.
Japan staged a late comeback, benefiting from an own goal before eventually securing victory through a penalty shootout to reach their fourth final in the competition’s history.
Players to watch
Japan’s Mei Hanashiro will be one of the major attacking threats Nigeria must keep an eye on. The forward has registered four goals and one assist at the tournament, making her an important figure in Japan’s attacking setup.
For Nigeria, Queen Joseph remains a player to watch following her impressive performances throughout the competition.
Her pace, attacking ability and decisive contribution against Brazil have made her one of the Flamingos’ standout performers as they pursue their first world title.
What the coaches and captains said
Japan coach Sadayoshi Shirai expressed his team’s determination to finish the tournament with the trophy.
“We don’t want to stop here. We’ll continue moving forward, prepare as well as we can for the final, and give everything we have to become world champions.”
Japan captain Honoka Yotsumoto also highlighted the confidence her team had gained from their performances throughout the competition.
“We’ve managed to overcome barriers that had held us back for so long, one step at a time – that has given us a lot of confidence. Now we have just one more match to win, and we’re determined to make history.”
On the Nigerian side, coach Akeem Busari said his players would approach the final with the same determination and playing mentality they demonstrated against DPR Korea.
“It’s just about showing the same character and playing the same way we played with North Korea, because they play with the same philosophy. They want to build the ball, they look at the high line of passes, they want their full-backs to support, so we really want to look at all that. I’m excited and I’m happy, but we just really want to pick up the trophy. That would be the icing on the cake.”
Flamingos forward Queen Joseph described reaching the final as a special achievement, expressing pride in representing both Nigeria and Africa.
“I feel very happy. Playing in the final is a big privilege, representing my country in the final is a big privilege for me. I’m super proud of myself and my team because we made history. We are not here just representing Nigeria; we are here representing Africa as a whole.”
Key facts ahead of the final
- Japan will be making their 50th appearance in the history of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
- Only DPR Korea, who will play Brazil in the third-place match, have featured in more matches in the competition.
- Nigeria are the first African country to qualify for the tournament’s final.
- Japan coach Sadayoshi Shirai will set a new record for the most matches managed in the competition, with Saturday’s encounter marking his 16th appearance.
- If Nigeria defeat Japan, the Flamingos will become the first team to lose their opening match and subsequently win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.