*Falconets in Pot 2 as Germany misses out for the first time
AFOLABI SAHEED OLAWALE
Nigeria U20 women’s Head Coach Moses Aduku and Team Administrator Kelechi Omeke will be part of Friday’s much-anticipated draw ceremony for the 12th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals taking place at the EC1 Cultural Centre in the city of Łódź, Poland.
Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ghana and Tanzania emerged at the weekend as Africa’s four flag-bearers at the 24-nation tournament, set to be staged 5th – 27th September in the Polish cities of Łódź, Katowice, Sosnowiec and Bielsko-Biała.
All the 24 qualified teams have been drawn into four pots of six teams each, from which will emerge six groups of four teams each, as the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup final tournament continues to captivate the global audience.
Poland 2026 takes the excitement even higher with as many as six new debutants (hosts Poland, Portugal, New Caledonia, Ecuador, Tanzania and Benin Republic), while Germany, who edged Nigeria in the final matches of the 2010 and 2014 tournaments, will be missing for the first time ever.
Europe’s flag will be flown by hosts Poland, France, Italy, England, Portugal and Spain, while China, South Korea, Japan and North Korea represent Asia. North and Central America will have Mexico, USA and Costa Rica, with Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia flying South America’s flag, and New Zealand and New Caledonia representing the Oceania region.
The Falconets, ever-present at the competition, have been drawn in Pot 2 alongside USA, Canada, Colombia, Mexico and New Zealand, while Ghana, making their eighth appearance, will be in Pot 3 with South Korea, England, Argentina, China and Italy.
Pot 1: Poland, Japan, Spain, North Korea, Brazil, France
Pot 2: USA, Nigeria, Colombia, Mexico, Canada, New Zealand
Pot 3: South Korea, England, Ghana, Argentina, China, Italy
Pot 4: Portugal, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Benin Republic, Tanzania, New Caledonia