Nigeria’s Flamingos lose 2-1 to Poland in their U-17 Women’s World Cup opener and face a must-win clash against Puerto Rico

Nigeria’s Flamingos suffered a disappointing start to their 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup campaign after losing 2-1 to Poland in their opening Group B fixture in Rabat, Morocco, on Saturday.

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The hosts took control in the 33rd minute when Wiktoria Skrzypczak converted a penalty to give Poland a 1-0 lead going into the break.

Nigeria returned for the second half searching for an equaliser but found themselves further behind in the 66th minute.

Natalia Skrok doubled Poland’s advantage, leaving the Flamingos with an uphill task in the closing stages.

The Nigerian side responded in the 79th minute when Oluebube Umejiaku pulled a goal back to give her team renewed hope.

However, the Flamingos could not find a second goal as Poland held on for a 2-1 victory.

The defeat leaves Nigeria without a point in Group B, level with Puerto Rico at the bottom of the table.

Defending champions Korea DPR and Poland currently occupy the top two positions with three points each.

Korea DPR began their title defence with a commanding 6-0 victory over tournament debutants Puerto Rico, with Yu Jong-Hyang and Kim Won-Sim scoring twice each.

The result means Nigeria must quickly regroup ahead of their next group fixture against Puerto Rico on Tuesday, October 20.

The match has taken on added importance for the Flamingos, who will be looking to secure their first points and revive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.

Nigeria will then face a difficult final group game against four-time champions Korea DPR on Friday, October 23.

The top two teams in each group will qualify automatically for the Round of 16, alongside the four best third-placed teams.

The Flamingos entered the tournament with considerable momentum after winning the WAFU-B U-17 Girls’ Championship in Côte d’Ivoire last month.

They won all five matches at the regional tournament, scoring 17 goals and conceding only once.

Nigeria defeated Togo 4-0 in the final to underline their attacking strength and secure the regional title.

They also booked their place at the World Cup after defeating Benin in the final round of African qualifying.

Head coach Akeem Busari selected a 21-player squad for the tournament, with the team arriving in Morocco on October 7 to complete their preparations.

Captain Harmony Chidi is among the players expected to provide attacking inspiration. She scored five goals during the World Cup qualifying campaign and added three more at the WAFU-B championship.

Nigeria are making their ninth appearance at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Their best finish came in 2022 when the Flamingos claimed third place in India after defeating Germany on penalties in the third-place play-off.

The current tournament features 24 nations and will run until November 7.

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With the opening defeat behind them, Nigeria will now need a strong response against Puerto Rico if they are to keep their knockout-stage hopes firmly alive.