Nigeria’s Flamingos returned to Abuja on Monday morning to a reception of drums, dancing and cheers, two days after making history by winning the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The team arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) at 5:50am aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight from Rabat, where they defeated Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final to become the first African nation to win the competition.
Supporters and officials of the Nigeria Football Federation welcomed the players and their officials on arrival, as celebrations began ahead of a planned trophy parade through parts of the Federal Capital Territory.
The parade is expected to begin around Eagle Square and the Federal Secretariat before passing through Julius Berger Roundabout and Wuse Market, with the procession scheduled to continue towards Maitama, Asokoro and Apo.
However, the team’s formal reception by President Bola Tinubu has been postponed because of the President’s busy schedule. No new date has been announced for the presidential event.
Tinubu had congratulated the players on Sunday, recalling their promise after the semi-final victory to return home with the trophy.
“You promised to bring the trophy home,” the President said, adding that the team had fulfilled its pledge.
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The homecoming followed a reception hosted in Morocco by the chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, and its Director-General, Bukola Olopade, before the delegation departed Rabat.
Head coach Hakeem Busari said the achievement was the result of deliberate preparation and the players’ determination, insisting that the triumph was not accidental.
“What we are seeing now is not a fluke,” Busari said, pointing to the team’s development, character and fighting spirit.
The Flamingos went into the World Cup after winning the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire, where they recorded five victories in five matches, scored 17 goals and conceded only once.
Their World Cup success marks a major milestone for African women’s football, with Nigeria becoming the first country from the continent to lift the U-17 title.
While the Abuja parade will provide another opportunity to celebrate the players, the date for their official reception by the President remains outstanding.
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