Nigeria’s Falconets have arrived in Poland to continue preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, but the team departed Nigeria without captain Joy Igbokwe, Sandra John and Faridat Abdulwahab due to unresolved visa issues.
The absence of the three players, particularly captain Igbokwe, is a setback for the Falconets as the team enters the final phase of preparations ahead of the global tournament.
The Nigerian side is expected to continue intensive training in Poland as the technical crew fine-tunes strategies and assesses the squad before the competition gets underway.
The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will run from September 5 to September 27, with Nigeria facing a challenging group-stage campaign.
The Falconets will begin their campaign against Spain on September 7 before taking on China PR three days later on September 10.
Nigeria will round off their group fixtures against New Caledonia on September 13.
Attention will now be on whether the visa issues affecting Igbokwe, John and Abdulwahab can be resolved quickly enough for the trio to link up with the rest of the squad in Poland before the tournament begins.
The Falconets, one of Africa’s most successful teams at youth level, will be hoping to make a strong impression at the World Cup as they seek another memorable outing on the global stage.
Nigeria’s Group Fixtures:
Spain vs Nigeria — September 7
Nigeria vs China PR — September 10
Nigeria vs New Caledonia — September 13
The countdown is now firmly on for the Falconets as they intensify preparations in Poland, with hopes that the missing trio will soon overcome their travel challenges and join the team ahead of the crucial World Cup campaign.
