Nigeria’s U-20 women national team, the Falconets, have qualified for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland despite suffering a 2-1 defeat to Malawi in the second leg of their qualifying tie on Saturday.
The Nigerian side went into the encounter with a 2-0 advantage from the first leg played in Nigeria, but were made to work hard by a determined Malawian team.
Malawi raced into a two-goal lead to level the aggregate score and put the Falconets under pressure for most of the game.
However, the visitors found a crucial goal to reduce the deficit and restore their aggregate advantage.
The match eventually ended 2-1 in favour of Malawi, but the Falconets progressed 3-2 on aggregate to secure their place at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
The qualification continues Nigeria’s strong record in the competition, with the Falconets remaining one of Africa’s most successful teams at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
