W’Cup: Falconets face anxious wait after China draw

Nigeria’s women’s national football team, the Falconets, faced a setback at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland after drawing 0-0 with China on Thursday. This result has left their chances of advancing to the knockout stages uncertain, as reported by PUNCH Sports Extra. Prior to this match, Nigeria had suffered a 2-0 loss to Spain, leaving them with just one point from their first two games in the tournament.

The draw against China means Nigeria now requires a win in their upcoming match against New Caledonia to have any hope of progressing. Currently, Spain leads the group with six points and a goal difference of +13, while China has four points and a plus-five goal difference. Nigeria sits in third place with one point and a minus-two goal difference.

Despite the disappointing draw, Nigeria remains in contention for a round of 16 spot. They could finish second in Group F if Spain and China were to draw or if Spain wins. Alternatively, Nigeria could also advance as one of the four best third-placed teams across the six groups. However, they cannot afford any further losses, as their qualification hopes now hinge on their final result and the outcome of the Spain-China match.

Spain secured their place in the knockout stages for the fifth consecutive time after defeating New Caledonia 11-0, the biggest margin of victory in the tournament so far. Spain's Celia Segura was the top scorer with four goals, while Pau Comendador and Marisa Garcia also scored twice. Spain's victory equaled the tournament's highest winning margin, matching France's 11-0 win over Fiji in 2024.

Nigeria will face New Caledonia in their final group game on Sunday.