Falconets return to Nigeria after dismal U20 Women’s World Cup campaign

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team, the Falconets, arrived back in the country on Sunday evening following their elimination from the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia.

The team, led by head coach Christopher Danjuma, was knocked out of the tournament after a 2-1 defeat to Japan in the Round of 16.

Despite a strong performance throughout the group stages, where they secured two wins and two losses, the Falconets fell short of advancing further in the competition.

Their campaign began with a narrow 1-0 victory over Korea Republic, but they suffered a 3-1 loss to Germany in Group D. A dominant 4-0 win over Venezuela saw them advance to the knockout stages.

This year’s tournament saw the Falconets unable to match their previous successes, having secured silver medals in 2010 and 2014.

As they reflect on their performance, the team will look forward to the next edition of the competition in 2026, with hopes of building on their experience and striving for a better result.