By Joel Ajayi
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have congratulated Nigeria’s Flamingos following their historic 2-1 victory over Japan in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026.
The victory, secured on Saturday in Rabat, made Nigeria the first African country to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, marking a major milestone for Nigerian football and women’s football on the continent.
President Tinubu, who received the news upon his return from campaign engagements in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states, described the achievement as a proud moment for Nigeria and a landmark accomplishment for African football.
In a congratulatory message, the President praised the young players for their courage, discipline, determination and commitment, noting that their triumph had given Nigerians another reason to celebrate.
“What wonderful news to return home to! Our young girls have conquered the world and given Nigerians everywhere another reason to celebrate our great country.
“To our gallant Flamingos, I say congratulations. You have shown courage, discipline, determination and the Nigerian spirit of never giving up,” he said.
Tinubu said he had followed the team’s progress throughout the competition and recalled that the players had promised to bring home the trophy after their semi-final victory.
According to him, the Flamingos fulfilled their promise through collective determination, teamwork and belief in their abilities.
He also noted that the victory would inspire millions of young Nigerian girls who aspire to excel in sports and other fields, demonstrating that hard work, opportunity and determination could lead to remarkable achievements.
The President particularly applauded Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku, whose goals secured Nigeria’s historic victory, while commending the entire squad for their outstanding teamwork throughout the tournament.
He also congratulated the coaching crew, the NFF and the NSC for their contributions to the team’s success.
Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to grassroots sports development and expanding opportunities for young Nigerians, particularly girls, to discover, develop and fulfil their potential.
At the NSC, Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko described the triumph as evidence of the impact of Nigeria’s sports rejuvenation efforts, stressing the need to sustain reforms and strengthen development structures at all levels.
Dikko said the achievement reinforced the importance of investing in grassroots sports and creating an enabling environment for young athletes to develop their talents.
“When we get it right at the grassroots, the top will be corrected too. This victory is a powerful reminder that investing in young athletes, strengthening our development structures and creating opportunities for talent to thrive will deliver results for Nigeria,” he said.
He congratulated the players, coaches and technical crew, describing their achievement as a defining moment for Nigerian football and a source of pride for the country and the African continent.
The Director-General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade, also described the victory as a triumph for all Nigerians, expressing appreciation to President Tinubu for his support and investment in sports development.
Olopade said the players had demonstrated what could be achieved when talent, preparation and institutional support came together.
“This is a victory for every Nigerian. We are grateful to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his immense investment and commitment to the development of sports in the country.
“There could hardly be a better way for these young champions to appreciate that support than by bringing home a World Cup trophy.
They have made the nation proud and shown what is possible when talent, preparation and the right support come together,” he said.
In the final, Bashiru opened the scoring for Nigeria in the 39th minute before Umejiaku doubled the advantage two minutes into the second half, finding the net in the 47th minute.
Japan fought back and reduced the deficit through Fuki Ito in the 80th minute, but the Nigerian girls held firm under late pressure to secure the historic 2-1 victory.
The triumph capped an impressive recovery by the Flamingos, who began their campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Poland.
The Nigerian side responded positively, recording victories over Puerto Rico and defending champions Korea DPR in the group stage to advance to the knockout rounds.
They subsequently defeated Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil to book their place in the final.
Their 3-1 semi-final victory over Brazil secured Nigeria’s first-ever appearance in the final of the competition, before they went on to defeat Japan and claim the ultimate prize.
Nigeria had previously recorded their best performance at the 2022 edition in India, where the Flamingos finished third. Saturday’s victory therefore represents a historic improvement on that achievement.
The final attracted several prominent football and government officials, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino, CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, Acting NFF General Secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme and former FIFA Council member and two-term NFF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick.
The Federal Government delegation was led by Dikko and included Olopade, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu, a sponsor of the NSC.
Following the historic triumph, the NSC hosted the victorious players and officials to a special reception in Rabat in recognition of their outstanding achievement.
The reception provided an opportunity to celebrate the young champions for bringing honour to Nigeria and making history for African women’s football.
In a further gesture of appreciation, Ahmadu rewarded the team with a cash gift of $50,000.
The NSC also announced that the outstanding bonuses owed to the players and officials had been facilitated for payment by the Presidency.
The bonuses covered the team’s participation from the preliminary qualifying rounds through to the final, which ended with their memorable victory over Japan.
Meanwhile, Ikpeme dedicated the Flamingos’ historic achievement to President Tinubu, attributing the team’s success to the support and encouragement provided to Nigeria’s national teams by the Federal Government.
The acting NFF General Secretary said the President’s commitment to supporting national teams had contributed to the country’s sporting achievements.
“This victory has been made possible by the support and special love shown to all the national teams at every point in time by His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
“The Father of the Nation has continued to be a father for all, and we are grateful for his love and encouragement all the time,” Ikpeme said.
He disclosed that Tinubu had directed the NSC to offset the outstanding bonuses and allowances of the players and officials following their historic achievement.
The victory further strengthens Nigeria’s record in FIFA age-grade football, making the country the only African nation to have won both the male and female FIFA U-17 World Cup titles.
Nigeria’s male U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, have won the FIFA U-17 World Cup five times, in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015.
The Flamingos’ triumph in Morocco has now added another historic chapter to Nigeria’s football record, while establishing a new milestone for African women’s football.
