Poland 2026: Falconets Resume Camping In Abuja

 

Poland 2026: Falconets Resume Camping In Abuja

Nigeria’s U20 Women’s National Team, the Falconets, have commenced camping in Abuja ahead of the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to hold in Poland 5th – 27th September. A total of 28 players have been invited, with 16 of them already in camp as preparations gather momentum for the global showpiece. More of the invited players are expected to join the team in the coming days.

The technical crew, headed by Coach Moses Aduku, has immediately swung into action with intensive training sessions aimed at fine-tuning the squad for what promises to be another memorable campaign on the world stage. The Falconets secured qualification for the World Cup after an impressive qualifying campaign, with a 5-0 aggregate spanking of Rwanda in the second round before edging Senegal 3-2 on aggregate in the penultimate round. They sealed their ticket to Poland with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Malawi in the final qualifying round, extending Nigeria’s remarkable record as the only African nation to qualify for every edition of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 2002.

Nigeria remains one of the most successful teams in the tournament’s history, having finished as runners-up in 2010 and 2014, while also reaching the semi-finals in 2012. At the last edition in Colombia in 2024, the Falconets began their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Korea Republic before advancing to the Round of 16, where they bowed out to Japan.

Drawn in Group F alongside Spain, China PR and Paraguay, the Falconets will be aiming to build on their rich legacy and mount a serious challenge for a historic  FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup title.

WAFU B U20 Championship: Flying Eagles To Play Ghana, Togo & Burkina Faso

 

 

WAFU B U20 Championship: Flying Eagles To Play Ghana, Togo & Burkina Faso

 

Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles, have been drawn to play Ghana’s Black Satellites, Togo’s Junior Sparrow Hawks and Burkina Faso’s Young Stallions in the group phase of this year’s West Africa Football Union (WAFU) B U20 Championship to be hosted by Cote d’Ivoire.

 

The draw conducted on Wednesday put the Flying Eagles and their opponents in Group B, while hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Benin Republic and Niger Republic make up Group A.

 

Head Coach Abdu Maikaba and his charges will depart the country on Monday next week, with 23 players who are focused on making the country proud by winning one of WAFU B’s two tickets to next year’s U20 Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for Ghana.

 

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, seven-time African champions and two-time FIFA World Cup silver-medallists, are the defending champions of the WAFU B U20 Championship, having defeated Ghana’s Satellites 2-1 in the final of the last edition of the competition in Lome in 2024.

 

Glasgow 2026: Favour Ashe Backs Team Nigeria to Make Country Proud

 

With just eight days to the start of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, excitement continues to build as Team Nigeria intensifies final preparations for one of the biggest multi-sport events in the Commonwealth calendar.

Nigeria's sprint star, Favour Ashe expressed confidence in Team Nigeria's chances of delivering strong performances in Glasgow, saying the athletes are motivated and determined to make the country proud.

"We have prepared well and everyone is focused on giving their best. Team Nigeria has a strong tradition at the Commonwealth Games, and we are confident we can compete for medals and make Nigerians proud," Ashe said.

The Opening Ceremony will take place on Thursday, July 23, at The Hydro in Glasgow, where Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla will join thousands of athletes, officials, volunteers and spectators from across the Commonwealth to officially launch the XXIII Commonwealth Games.

The Games will feature more than 3,000 athletes representing 74 Commonwealth nations and territories competing for 215 gold medals across 10 sports over 11 days of competition.

A major highlight of the Opening Ceremony will be the official declaration of the Games by King Charles III, who will read the message placed inside the King's Baton on Commonwealth Day, March 10, 2025, at Buckingham Palace before the Baton Relay began. The ceremony will also feature British cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy, the first Batonbearer, celebrating the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth Games.

The King's Baton Relay has completed its historic 500-day journey through all 74 Commonwealth nations and territories, the longest relay in Commonwealth Games history. 

For the first time, all 74 Batons will be reunited in Glasgow, symbolizing the unity, diversity and shared values of the Commonwealth.

Throughout the relay, the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Plastics Campaign, delivered in partnership with the Royal Commonwealth Society, has engaged communities across member nations in environmental conservation efforts aimed at preventing one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth waters.

Team Nigeria heads into Glasgow looking to build on its rich Commonwealth Games legacy, with athletes expected to challenge for medals across several sports and continue the nation's tradition as one of Africa's leading sporting powers.

 

Gold Cup Pre-season Tournament Gets August 13 Kickoff Date

Sporting Lagos will defend their Gold Cup title as Nigeria's top off-season football tournament begins in Ikenne and Apele-Sagamu from Thursday, 13th August, to 22nd.

Now in its 14th season, the Confederation of African Football (CAF)-certified Remo Stars International Stadium and FC Ebedei Stadium will host the 10-day football festival.

Sporting Lagos, which recently gained promotion back to the Nigeria Premier Football League, has the potential to become the second team, after Remo Stars, to win consecutive Gold Cup titles.

Tunde Shamsudeen, the pre-season tournament's General Coordinator, shared with Gold Cup Media Channel. 

"We're excited to announce the kickoff date. It's always special to see top NPFL teams face each other or battle potential giant killers in thrilling matchups.

"Our goals remain the same: the Gold Cup serves as a competitive platform to prepare teams across Nigeria's three-tier league for the upcoming football season.

"We're confident that the 2026 edition of the Gold Cup will be a major success that surpasses all previous achievements," Shamsudeen added.

Previous winners of the Gold Cup include Sunshine Stars FC (in the inaugural edition), defunct Sharks FC, Kano Pillars, Lobi Stars FC, Niger Tornadoes, ABS Ilorin FC, Remo Stars, Beyond Limits and Shooting Stars.

Super Falcons Star Says WAFCON Expansion Won’t Change Nigeria’s Title Ambition

 

Super Falcons Star Says WAFCON Expansion Won’t Change Nigeria’s Title Ambition

 

Super Falcons’ ace forward Rinsola Babajide believes that the increase in the number of participating teams at this year’s Women Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco will only make the tournament more exciting.

 

Ahead of the final tournament scheduled for Morocco 26th July – 16th August, the Italian Serie A Femminile champion with AS Roma told thenff.com that the competition transmuting from a 12-nation to a 16-nation-finals does not make much difference, as the motivation to triumph remains the same for the Cup holders.

 

“I think it makes it more exciting. We all know that this year’s Women AFCON is also for qualification to the World Cup finals. Of course, we all want to be there. I think it will make it more competitive but for us, the goal remains the same.

 

“For us as a team, whether we are playing just to be crowned champions of Africa or for qualification to next year’s World Cup, the pressure is the same as we want to win. The only pressure actually is the one we put on ourselves. We know what we signed up for as professionals and being the defending champions, we want to retain our trophy.”

 

The exciting forward, who was part of the squad that reclaimed the Women AFCON title for Nigeria in Morocco last year, looked back at her earlier years and credited her development as a complete player to the excellent foundation she got in England and the resilience she has learnt with Nigeria.

 

“I’ve been blessed to have the best of two worlds. England helped me develop my game from age-grade football; I am forever grateful for that. I have continued to grow as an experienced player with Nigeria and I do not take this for granted. I have learnt resilience and professionalism in both environments and these make me a better player and a better person. We know what it takes to win and as a team, we will give it our all in Morocco to retain the trophy. We are all determined to make Nigeria proud in Morocco.”