Falconets Change Team After Visa Problems

The Falconets have replaced captain Joy Igbokwe and midfielder Faridat Abdulwahab with Vivian Kachi and Alaba Olabiyi. This change happened because Igbokwe and Abdulwahab could not secure visas for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, according to The PUNCH.

Igbokwe and Abdulwahab could not travel with the team to Poland on Monday. Their visa issues caused a delay in the Falconets’ departure.

Twenty players were seen with the team when they arrived in Poland. The Nigeria Football Federation has made two replacements for the squad.

Striker Janet Akekoromowei is also uncertain for the tournament. She arrived in Poland earlier, but reports say her club, Benfica, refused to let her play in the competition.

Akekoromowei, who used to play for Bayelsa Queens, suffered a serious injury during the qualifiers in February. Her rehab was reportedly managed by the Portuguese club.

Despite these issues, the Falconets settled in Poland and started training on Wednesday. The players and technical crew showed eagerness and dedication right from the start.

After they arrived in Poland on Tuesday, the Falconets quickly got back to their training routine. They focused on tactical organization, technical skills, physical fitness and team bonding as they prepare for the championship.

As part of their final preparations, the Falconets will play two international friendly matches. They will face Poland on August 28 and South Korea on September 1.

These matches will give the players a chance to adapt to the conditions in Poland. They will also test themselves against different playing styles to sharpen their tactical skills and gain experience on the world stage.

The friendly against Poland will take place on Friday at the Municipal Stadium in Brzeg, starting at 12 noon local time. The game against South Korea is set for the Remes Resort & Spa Football Stadium and will kick off at 4pm local time.

These friendly matches will help the technical crew evaluate the team’s progress and make any necessary changes before the World Cup. They will also help the players get used to the pace and demands of international competition.

Head coach Moses Aduku and his technical crew are pushing for maximum effort from the players. They are fine-tuning their strategy ahead of the tournament.

Nigeria will compete in Group F with Spain, China PR, and New Caledonia. The Falconets will face Spain on September 7, China PR on September 10, and New Caledonia on September 13.

Nigeria was the runner-up in the 2010 and 2014 tournaments. They will aim to take it a step further in Poland and win their first FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup title.

Nigeria, Brazil and the United States are the only three countries that have played in every edition of the tournament. This year, Germany did not qualify for the competition.