Nigeria’s U20 women’s national team, the Falconets, will now face Senegal at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta after the Confederation of African Football approved a late change of venue for their 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture.
The third-round first-leg encounter, originally scheduled to take place at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, will now be played in the Ogun State capital on Saturday, February 7, 2026, in what promises to be a high-stakes showdown on the road to Poland.
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The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed the development through its Director of Competitions, Ruth David, who explained that the request for a venue change was necessitated by the deteriorating condition of the Lekan Salami Stadium pitch.
According to her, although the Ibadan venue had earlier been approved and even hosted the Falconets’ second round second leg clash against Rwanda in September last year, the current state of the playing surface raised concerns ahead of another crucial international fixture.
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With player safety and match quality at the forefront, the NFF moved swiftly to secure an alternative venue, with CAF granting approval for the match to be relocated to the MKO Abiola Sports Complex, one of Nigeria’s most modern sporting facilities.
Following the decision, the Falconets, who had been camping and training in Ibadan in preparation for the tie, are expected to relocate to Abeokuta in the coming days. The move will allow the team time to properly acclimatize to the turf and surroundings ahead of the decisive first-leg encounter.
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Nigeria enter the third round brimming with confidence after an emphatic showing against Rwanda in the previous phase. The Falconets sealed qualification with a dominant 5–0 aggregate victory over the East Africans, underlining their pedigree as two-time FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup silver medallists.
The clash against Senegal represents another significant hurdle in the African qualifying series. Only one more round stands between the Falconets and a place at the global showpiece.
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The winner over two legs between Nigeria and Senegal will advance to the final round of the qualifiers, where they will face either Guinea-Bissau or Malawi for one of Africa’s coveted tickets to the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
The final tournament is scheduled to be held in Poland from September 5 to 27, 2026, and Nigeria will be aiming to extend their proud history in the competition by securing yet another appearance on the world stage.
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With a new venue confirmed and preparations set to intensify in Abeokuta, attention now turns to whether the Falconets can make home advantage count and take a decisive step closer to Poland.
Feature image credit: Awijare X Page
