Nigeria’s Falconets have secured their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after producing a dominant 10–1 victory over New Caledonia in their final Group F match in Poland.
The emphatic victory at the Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź came after Nigeria collected just one point from their opening two matches and needed a strong result to keep their tournament hopes alive.
The Falconets made their intentions clear from the opening stages as they looked to put pressure on the New Caledonia defence.
Nigeria eventually broke the deadlock in the 17th minute when Ramotalahi Kareem converted from the penalty spot to give the Falconets a 1–0 lead.
The early goal immediately lifted Nigeria, who continued to attack with purpose.
Just two minutes later, Rebecca Adegbemile doubled the advantage to put the Falconets firmly in control.
Nigeria continued to dominate proceedings and added a third goal in the 23rd minute through Seimeyeha Akekoromowei.
New Caledonia struggled to cope with the pressure as Nigeria repeatedly found space in the final third.
Kareem then scored again in the 27th minute to complete her brace and give Nigeria a commanding 4–0 lead.
The Falconets went into half-time four goals ahead, having completely taken control of the contest.
Nigeria continued in the same fashion after the restart, and substitute Winner David made an immediate impact.
David scored Nigeria’s fifth goal in the 60th minute before Kareem completed her hat-trick four minutes later to make it 6–0.
The floodgates had opened.
Nigeria continued to create chances as New Caledonia struggled to contain the Falconets’ attacking movement.
Tosin Rafiu added Nigeria’s seventh goal in the 70th minute, with Onyedikachi Ekezie providing the assist.
Four minutes later, Adegbemile found the net again to complete her brace and extend Nigeria’s lead to 8–0.
David then joined Kareem in completing a hat-trick, scoring her second goal of the afternoon in the 75th minute.
Nigeria continued to push forward despite their huge advantage, with the Falconets determined to maintain their momentum until the final whistle.
New Caledonia eventually found a consolation goal in the 89th minute through Joceline Kourevi.
However, there was still time for Nigeria to restore their nine-goal advantage.
David completed her hat-trick in stoppage time to round off a remarkable individual performance and seal a 10–1 victory for the Falconets.
The final whistle confirmed Nigeria’s progression to the Round of 16 after finishing second in Group F with four points.
The Falconets finished level on points with China but advanced ahead of their Asian opponents on goal difference after China lost 3–1 to group winners Spain.
The victory also represented Nigeria’s biggest winning margin of the tournament so far.
Key Highlights
Ramotalahi Kareem was one of the standout performers for Nigeria, scoring three goals, while substitute Winner David also completed a hat-trick after coming on at the start of the second half.
Rebecca Adegbemile contributed two goals, while Seimeyeha Akekoromowei and Tosin Rafiu also found the net.
The result was particularly significant given Nigeria’s difficult start to the tournament.
The Falconets opened their campaign with a 2–0 defeat to Spain before playing out a goalless draw against China.
With only one point from their first two matches, Nigeria needed a victory in their final group game and responded with one of their most emphatic performances of the tournament.
The result not only secured qualification but also significantly improved Nigeria’s goal difference and gave the team renewed momentum heading into the knockout stage.
What Comes Next?
The Falconets will now face England in the Round of 16 on Thursday.
After surviving a difficult group-stage campaign, Nigeria will be hoping the emphatic victory over New Caledonia can provide the confidence needed for another deep run at the World Cup.
The Falconets, who have previously finished runners-up at the U-20 Women’s World Cup, will now turn their attention to the knockout stages as they continue their pursuit of a first world title.
