Nigeria’s Falconets have replaced captain Joy Igbokwe and defender Faridat Abdulwahab after the duo were unable to secure visas ahead of the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
Igbokwe and Abdulwahab were ultimately denied visas, prompting the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Falconets’ technical crew to make changes to the squad.
Vivian Kachi and Alaba Olabiyi have been called up as replacements as Nigeria intensifies preparations for the global tournament.
The Falconets arrived in Poland on Tuesday and settled at their training base in Trzebnica. They began preparations for the tournament on Wednesday at the Stadion Miejski, Fair Play Arena.
Head Coach Moses Aduku and his technical crew are focusing on tactical organisation, technical execution, physical conditioning and team cohesion as the team prepares for the challenges ahead.
Nigeria will also play two international friendly matches as part of its preparations, facing hosts Poland on Friday, August 28, before taking on South Korea on September 1.
The match against Poland will be played at the Municipal Stadium in Brzeg from 12 noon local time, while the encounter with South Korea is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Remes Resort & Spa Football Stadium.
The friendly matches will provide the coaching crew with an opportunity to assess the players and make final adjustments before the World Cup.
The Falconets have been drawn in Group F alongside Spain, China PR and New Caledonia.
Nigeria will open its campaign against Spain on September 7, face China PR on September 10 and conclude the group stage against New Caledonia on September 13.
Two-time runners-up in 2010 and 2014, Nigeria will be aiming to win the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup for the first time and secure the country’s maiden title in the competition.
