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Falconets Set for Abeokuta Camp Ahead of U-20 World Cup Qualifier vs Senegal

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2 weeks ago

6:11 pm

Falconets Set for Abeokuta Camp Ahead of U-20 World Cup Qualifier vs Senegal

Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team, the Falconets, will arrive in Abeokuta on Tuesday to continue preparations for their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture against Senegal.

The qualifier, initially scheduled for the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, was relocated due to the poor condition of the pitch. The match will now take place at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex, Abeokuta, following approval from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Head of Competitions, Ruth David, confirmed that CAF had been duly informed of the change and had given the green light for the MKO Abiola Stadium to host the first-leg encounter on Saturday, February 7, 2026.

Despite the approval, the Falconets remained in Ibadan for several days while awaiting final clearance from the Ogun State Government. That hurdle has now been cleared.

Speaking to BSN Sports, NFF General Secretary Dr. Sanusi Mohammed confirmed that the team would move to Abeokuta on Tuesday morning to begin final preparations.

“The Falconets will travel to Abeokuta tomorrow morning. The issue has been settled, and the state government is ready to host the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier,” Sanusi said.

Nigeria booked their place in this round of the qualifiers with a commanding 5–0 aggregate victory over Rwanda. The winner of the third-round tie between Nigeria and Senegal will advance to the final qualifying round, with a spot at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup on the line.

The return leg of the encounter is scheduled for February 14, 2026.

The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will be hosted by Poland from September 5 to September 27.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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