2026WorldU20 Female Football Tournament Kicks Off In Poland on Saturday.
…Falconets of Nigeria to Play Spain on Sunday at 6pm.
The 12th FIFA World Female Football cup tournament starts tomorrow Saturday 5th September and runs till the 27th of the same month in Poland.
A total 24 teams from six Confederations will clash at four cities of Poland. The AFC (Asia) has 4 countries; CAF (Africa) has 4; Concacaf (North America, Central America and the Caribbean) has 4; CONMEBOL (South Americas) 4; OFC (Oceania) has 2 and Eufa (European Nations) has 6 including hosts country Poland which is hosting any FIFA female competition for the first time.
The defending champions and three times title holders, North Korea will be on parade. They won in 2006, 2016 and 2024 but for the first time, former two times champions, Germany who beat Nigeria on the two occasions failed to qualify for the 2026 finals.
Debutantes at this tournament are hosts Poland, Portugal, New Caledonia, Ecuador, Tanzania and Benin Republic. This is the first time New Caledonia and Benin Republic will be at any FIFA Women’s tournament.
This tournament had hiccups when Eufa nations on 30th July announced their boycott of any FIFA staged competition with an intention to withdraw total membership from FIFA but on 31st July, Poland announced the tournament will go ahead. France became the first Eufa nation to signify participation on 27th August. The Eufa threat was because of FIFA Forward Enterprises policy which was withdrawn after global protects.
The four countries that will represent Africa are Nigeria which has been at all the 12 tournaments now and were Runners up in 2010 and 2014; Ghana that is in their 8th Appearance but never went beyond the group stages; debutants Benin and Tanzania.
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There will be six groups as follows: Group A are hosts Poland, Argentina, Mexico and Benin; Group B are Brazil, Tanzania, Canada and England; Group C are France, South Korea, Ecuador and Ghana.
Group D are Japan, New Zealand, USA and Italy; Group E are defending champions North Korea, Portugal, Costa Rica and Columbia while Group F are New Caledonia, China, Spain and Nigeria.
New Caledonia will file out against China to open group F on Monday 7th at 3pm while Nigeria will tackle Spain at 6pm both matches taking place at the Arena Sasnowiec where all group F matches will take place.
Group F 2nd round matches will be on 10th September when Spain will slug it out with New Caledonia at 3pm and Nigeria will play China at 6pm but on 13th September the final group F matches will be played simultaneously at 3pm with China facing Spain and Nigeria’s Falconets trying to edge out New Caledonia.
If Nigeria wins group F she will meet the runners up in group E in the round of 16 matches; if she places 2nd in the group she will meet the 2nd placed team in group B and if she places 3rd in the group she will proceed as a best loser depending on points gained and goals scored. All round of 16 games will be played on 16th and 17th September.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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#CONMEBOL #OFC #UEFA #NFF.
