Nigeria’s U20 women’s team, the Falconets, are intensifying preparations for their third-round qualifier of the 12th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, with head coach Moses Aduku expressing confidence in the squad’s steady development ahead of their two-legged encounter with Senegal.
Nigeria will host the first leg at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan on Saturday, 7 February, before traveling to Dakar for the return fixture on Saturday, 14 February.
Aduku stressed that the team’s immediate focus is firmly on the opening leg, underlining the need to secure a convincing result at home.
According to the coach, a series of friendly matches has played a key role in evaluating the players and fine-tuning tactical approaches.
He noted that the technical crew has concentrated on improving attacking efficiency while preserving defensive solidity, adding that the team’s performances in recent outings have been encouraging.
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The Falconets, two-time FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup runners-up and semi-finalists at the tournament in Japan 14 years ago, are scheduled to move camp to Ibadan on 27 January to continue preparations for the decisive fixture.
While avoiding outright predictions, Aduku highlighted the quality, confidence, and mentality within the squad, pointing to their competitive displays in friendly matches as a positive sign.
He reaffirmed the players’ determination to represent Nigeria with pride and secure qualification for the next stage.
The 12th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup will take place in Poland from 5 to 27 September 2026. The winner of the Nigeria–Senegal tie will advance to the final round of African qualifiers, where they will face the winner of the Guinea-Bissau versus Malawi fixture for one of the continent’s
