Nigeria’s Falconets have been drawn against Spain, China PR and New Caledonia in Group F of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup scheduled to take place in Poland.

The official draw ceremony was conducted on Thursday in Łódź, one of the tournament’s host cities, confirming the group-stage opponents for the Nigerian side ahead of the competition billed for September 5 to 27.

The Falconets, one of Africa’s most successful teams in the history of the tournament, will now prepare for a difficult group campaign against European giants Spain, Asian representatives China PR, and Oceania side New Caledonia.

Nigeria qualified for the championship after another impressive qualifying campaign and will head into the tournament hoping to make another strong statement on the global stage.

The Falconets remain one of the most consistent teams in FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup history, having reached the final twice and regularly advancing to the knockout stages.

A total of 24 countries were drawn into six groups for the tournament, with matches set to be played across Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, Łódź, and Sosnowiec in Poland.

Other notable groups include Group A featuring Argentina, Mexico, Poland, and Benin Republic, while defending powerhouses Brazil and England were drawn in Group B alongside Tanzania and Canada.

France, Korea Republic, Ecuador and Ghana make up Group C, while the United States, Japan, Italy, and New Zealand were paired together in Group D.

Group E consists of Korea DPR, Portugal, Costa Rica, and Colombia.

The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is expected to showcase some of the brightest young talents in women’s football, with Nigeria aiming to deliver another memorable outing at the competition. (Vanguard)

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