Nigeria’s U20 -Dame Team, the Falconets, starts their journey to the FIFA U20 World Cup 2026 with a tough match against Rwanda in the second round of African qualifications.
The Falconets, who have qualified 11 times for the World Cup and finished twice, received a Bye in the second round because of their strong record in previous competitions.
Their opponents, Rwanda, deserved their place by beating Zimbabwe in the first round. After winning 2-1 away in Harare, the Rwandan team Zimbabwe held a scoreless draw on Wednesday in the Kigali Pele Stadium to make progress.
This will be the first time that Nigeria and Rwanda meet in a competitive competition at U20 level. The first stage will be played on September 18 in Kigali, while the second stage will be set in Nigeria on 27 September.
Only four African teams are eligible for the FIFA U20 World Cup 2026 in Poland. The qualifying tournament has four knockout rounds, in which countries throughout Africa fight for a ticket to the global stage.
Nigeria are strong favorites who go to the qualifications. The Falconets have never lost a qualifying match in Africa, with 44 victories and only three draw since the tournament began.
They are also the only African country that has qualified for every edition of the U20 World Cup World Cup since it started in 2002. Nigeria finished second in 2010 and 2014, both times who lose in the final of Germany.
Rwanda, on the other hand, hopes to reach the World Cup for the first time in their history. They face a big challenge against a Nigerian side that is known for his experience, strength and success in youth football.
Other games on the second round are South Sudan vs Djibouti (with South Sudan with 5-0 after the first stage), Ethiopia vs Kenya, Tanzania vs Angola, Uganda vs Namibia and Burundi vs Zambia-all all for September.
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