FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers: Nigeria brush aside Rwanda with a hard-fought 1-0 win

The Nigeria U-20 national team, the Falconets defeated the Rwanda U-20 side with a hard-fought 1-0 victory on Sunday, to commence their 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

In the first leg of their second-round tie at the Kigali Pelé Stadium on Sunday, THE Falconets faced a tough opposition and had to dig deep to secure the victory.

The decisive moment came in the 70th minute when Alaba Olabiyi rose highest to head home from a corner, securing the win for coach Moses Aduku’s side. The result leaves Nigeria in a strong position heading into the return fixture at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan on Saturday, September 27.

Nigeria, who have never missed a FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, will be looking to wrap up the tie at home and advance to the final round of qualifiers, where either Senegal or Algeria awaits. The 2026 edition of the tournament, set for September 5–27 in Poland, will feature 24 teams, with the hosts making their debut appearance.

The Falconets boast an impressive record at this level, finishing as runners-up in 2010 and 2014, and claiming fourth place in 2012. However, recent campaigns have seen them struggle to progress beyond the quarterfinals.

With a one-goal advantage and home support on their side in Ibadan, the Falconets remain well on course to maintain their flawless qualification record and continue the chase for a long-awaited first world title.