President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday received Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, following their historic victory at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, where they became the first African team to win the tournament.
The victorious players and their technical crew were welcomed at the Presidential Banquet Hall in Abuja by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who represented the President.
The Flamingos sealed their place in football history on November 7 after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final, with Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku scoring the goals that earned Nigeria its first FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup title.
President Tinubu had earlier congratulated the team, describing the victory as a proud moment for the nation and a landmark achievement for African women’s football.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said he received the news of the triumph shortly after returning from campaign engagements in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.
He praised the players for their courage, discipline and determination, saying they had inspired millions of Nigerians with their outstanding performance.
Nigeria’s journey to the title was a story of resilience. After suffering a 2-1 defeat to Poland in their opening match, the Flamingos recovered impressively, defeating defending champions North Korea, Puerto Rico and Mexico to reach the knockout stage.
The team then defeated Brazil 3-1 in the semi-final before overcoming Japan in the final to lift the trophy for the first time.
The victory has attracted widespread praise from football lovers, government officials and sports stakeholders, with many describing it as one of the greatest achievements in the history of Nigerian women’s football.
In recognition of the team’s success, the Senate pledged a ₦100 million reward after a motion sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Abdul Ningi, who also commended the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for supporting the team’s campaign.
The Flamingos’ triumph adds to Nigeria’s growing success in women’s sports, coming after the Super Falcons won a record 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title and the D’Tigress retained their dominance in African basketball by winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket championship.