National Teams
2026 FIFA U20 WWCQ: Falconets to leave Nigeria for Kigali on Thursday

By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria’s U20 women’s national team, the Falconets, will begin their quest for a place at next year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup with a second-round, first-leg clash against Rwanda in Kigali on Sunday.
The two-time World Cup silver-medallists are expected to depart Nigeria on Thursday as they step up preparations for what promises to be a crucial encounter against the Rwandan U20 girls.
The Falconets boast an impressive record on the global stage, having reached the final twice, only to be denied the title by Germany in 2010 in Germany and again in 2014 in Canada.
Remarkably, both Nigeria and Germany had featured in every edition of the tournament since its inception in 2002, but the Europeans failed to qualify for next year’s finals, underlining the unpredictability of the competition.
Sunday’s match will take place at the Kigali Pele Stadium, formerly known as Stade Régional de Nyamirambo.
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