Why Japan lost U-17 World Cup final to Nigeria — Coach

Japan's U-17 women's national soccer team suffered a 2-1 defeat to Nigeria in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco. Coach Sadayoshi Shirai attributed the loss to his team's inability to score earlier, which could have improved their chances of winning. Nigeria secured the title as the first African country, with goals from Oluebube Umejiaku and Awawu Bashiru.

Fuki Ito scored the only goal for Japan in the match. Shirai acknowledged Nigeria's strengths, particularly their speed and physical power, noting that his players fought hard until the end, despite the challenges posed by Nigeria's offensive prowess. He expressed pride in his team's performance and hoped they could draw inspiration and confidence from their spirited effort.

Japan advanced to the final after defeating North Korea in the semi-finals, while Nigeria triumphed over Brazil. The Flamingos' victory marked their first U-17 Women's World Cup title.