He described the victory as another demonstration of Nigerian’s ability to overcome challenges and achieve outstanding results.
By Mmesoma Onwuka
365Daily – The House of Representatives has congratulated Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national football team, the Flamingos, following their historic victory at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
On Saturday, the Nigerian side secured the championship after defeating Japan 2–1 in the final played in Rabat, becoming the first Nigerian team to win the female edition of the competition.
The triumph also represents a major milestone for African football, as Nigeria becomes the first African nation to claim the FIFA U-17 World Cup titles in both the men’s and women’s categories.
Led by Head Coach Hakeem Busari, the Flamingos overcame an opening game setback to emerge as champions, demonstrating determination and consistency throughout the tournament.
Their success followed an impressive performance at the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire, where they won all five matches to secure the regional title.
At the global competition, five Nigerian players received Player of the Match awards in different fixtures, all coming from the country’s domestic league system. Oluebube Umejiaku also emerged as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, receiving the adidas Golden Ball award. She further distinguished herself by scoring the decisive goal in the final against Japan.
Reacting to the achievement, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON, described the victory as another demonstration of Nigerian’s ability to overcome challenges and achieve outstanding results.
The Speaker, while expressing pride in the team’s accomplishment, commended the players, technical crew and management for their dedication and for representing Nigeria honourably on the international stage.
He also called on the Federal Government to recognise and reward the young footballers, stressing that their achievement deserves national appreciation and encouragement.
The House of Representatives celebrated the Flamingos for their historic accomplishment and wished the team greater success in future competitions.