The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has congratulated Nigeria’s Flamingos on their historic win at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Nigeria beat Japan 2-1 in the final on Saturday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat. This victory makes Nigeria the first African nation to win this tournament.
Awawu Bashiru scored first in the 39th minute. Oluebube Umejiaku then added another goal shortly after the break. Japan’s Fuki Ito scored in the 80th minute, but the Flamingos held on to win the title.
In a message sent on Sunday, Minister Musawa called the win a proud moment for Nigeria and a milestone for women’s football in Africa.
She said the victory showed the hard work, talent and determination of the players, who bounced back after losing their first match to claim the title.
“This is more than a trophy. It is a story of young Nigerian girls who refused to give up, who rose after defeat, and who carried the hopes of a continent to the top of the world,” she said.
The Flamingos lost their first group match 2-1 to Poland but went on to win six matches in a row. They are the first team in this competition to lose their opening game and still win the trophy.
They beat Puerto Rico 2-0 and the defending champions Korea DPR 3-1 in the group stage. They also defeated Mexico 2-1 in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, they edged out Venezuela before beating Brazil 3-1 in the semi-finals to reach the final.
With this victory, Nigeria becomes the first African country to win both the men’s and women’s FIFA U-17 World Cup titles.
The Minister highlighted Umejiaku, who was named the tournament’s best player with the Golden Ball, and Bashiru for their roles in the win. She praised the entire team for their teamwork and discipline.
Umejiaku, who started the tournament as a substitute, became one of Nigeria’s key players. She scored against Poland, Korea DPR, and Mexico before netting in the final.
Bashiru also played a big role after starting with limited time on the pitch. She scored twice in the semi-final against Brazil and opened the scoring against Japan.
The minister said the team’s success showed the potential of Nigerian youth on the world stage.
“Our girls have shown the world what Nigeria is made of. We celebrate you today, and we will continue to stand with you,” she said.
Musawa also stated that the ministry will keep supporting young Nigerians who inspire the nation. This win marked Nigeria’s first title at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, improving on their previous best finish of third place in 2022. It was also the first time an African nation won the women’s tournament since it started in 2008.
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