Falconets Placed in Pot 2 Ahead of FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Draw

Falconets Placed in Pot 2 Ahead of FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Draw

By Niyi Busari 

Head coach Moses Aduku and Team Administrator Kelechi Omeke will represent Nigeria women's national under-20 football team at Friday’s draw ceremony for the 12th edition of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Łódź, Poland, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The draw ceremony will take place at the EC1 Cultural Centre as anticipation builds ahead of the tournament, which is scheduled to run from September 5 to 27 across the Polish cities of Łódź, Katowice, Sosnowiec and Bielsko-Biała.

Nigeria secured qualification alongside Benin Republic, Ghana and Tanzania as Africa’s four representatives at the 24-team tournament.

All qualified teams have been divided into four pots of six teams each ahead of the draw, which will determine the six groups for the competition.

The 2026 edition is expected to feature a number of historic moments, including the participation of six debutants — hosts Poland, Portugal, New Caledonia, Ecuador, Tanzania and Benin Republic.

Meanwhile, Germany — runners-up to Nigeria in the finals of the 2010 and 2014 tournaments — will miss the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup for the first time in history.

Europe will be represented by Poland, France, Italy, England, Portugal and Spain. Asia’s representatives include China, South Korea, Japan and North Korea.

From the Americas, Mexico, United States and Costa Rica will represent North and Central America, while Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia qualified from South America. Oceania’s representatives are New Zealand and New Caledonia.

Nigeria’s Falconets, one of the tournament’s ever-present teams, have been placed in Pot 2 alongside the United States, Canada, Colombia, Mexico and New Zealand. Ghana, making its eighth appearance at the tournament, has been drawn in Pot 3 with South Korea, England, Argentina, China and Italy.

Pots for the Draw

Pot 1: Poland, Japan, Spain, North Korea, Brazil, France

Pot 2: USA, Nigeria, Colombia, Mexico, Canada, New Zealand

Pot 3: South Korea, England, Ghana, Argentina, China, Italy

Pot 4: Portugal, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Benin Republic, Tanzania, New Caledonia