Falconets lose World Cup opener to Spain

In Nigeria's opening match of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, the Falconets suffered a 2-0 defeat to former champions Spain in their Group F opener on Monday at the Arena Sosnowiec in Poland. Spain took the lead in the 13th minute through Marisa García, who scored after Noemí Bejarano delivered a low cross into the box. Nigeria struggled to create clear scoring opportunities in the match, with their first attempt coming in the 37th minute when Kafayat Mafisere shot wide.

Despite a stronger second-half display from the Falconets, featuring Precious Oscar and Victory Lucky introduced to boost their attack, Spain maintained their advantage. Goalkeeper Laia López thwarted Nigeria's attempts to equalize, and Alba Cerrato doubled Spain's lead in the 73rd minute with a goal following a poor clearance. This result leaves Nigeria with no points after the opening round of Group F matches, while China PR tops the group after a 5-0 win over New Caledonia earlier in the tournament.

The Falconets will face China in their next match on Thursday, knowing a positive result will be crucial for their hopes of advancing to the knockout stage. Despite this setback, Nigeria remains capable of progressing, as the top two teams from each of the six groups, along with the four best third-place teams, will advance to the round of 16.