2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup:  Flamingos draw bye to second round

2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup: 

Flamingos draw bye to second round

Nigeria’s U17 women’s team, the Flamingos, will begin their quest for qualification to the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals when they enter the African qualifiers at the second round stage. 

The Flamingos are set to face the winner of the preliminary round tie between Niger Republic and Guinea.

The first leg of the second round is scheduled to take place between 22nd – 24th May, with the return leg billed for 29th – 31st May.

 The winner on aggregate over the two legs will advance to the third and final qualifying round. In the third round, the first leg matches will be played between 3rd – 5th July 3, while the second legs are fixed for 10th – 12th July.

Successful teams at the end of the qualifiers will secure their places at the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, which will be hosted by Morocco in October. 

Nigeria remain one of Africa’s most consistent performers at U17 level and will be aiming to return strongly to the global stage after their last outing ended in disappointment.

The Flamingos were eliminated in the Round of 16 following a 4–0 defeat to Italy – a result that brought their campaign to an abrupt halt in the tournament. 

That exit has placed added focus on the upcoming qualifiers, as the Flamingos look to rebuild momentum and reassert their status as one of the continent’s traditional powerhouses in women’s youth football.