Nigeria will face Mexico in the Round of 16 on Thursday at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, leading four African teams into the knockout stage
Nigeria will lead Africa’s challenge in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after qualifying alongside Ghana, hosts Morocco and Kenya.
Nigeria recovered from an opening 2-1 defeat to Poland with victories over Puerto Rico (2-0) and DPR Korea (3-1) to secure their place in the knockout stage.
Ghana also advanced automatically after finishing second in Group C with four points. Following a 3-0 defeat to Norway and a 3-3 draw with Brazil, the Black Maidens beat Canada 2-0 to set up a Round of 16 meeting with Argentina.
Hosts Morocco and Kenya qualified as two of the four best third-placed teams, finishing their respective groups with three points each.
Morocco opened with a 4-0 win over New Zealand but lost to Germany and Argentina. They will now face DPR Korea as they seek to extend their home campaign.
Kenya, meanwhile, recovered from losses to China and the United States with a 4-0 win over Samoa. The result secured their progression and a Round of 16 clash with Japan.
Zambia were the only African representatives eliminated at the group stage, finishing fourth in Group D without a point. They lost 5-0 to Japan, 3-2 to Venezuela and 1-0 to France.
Nigeria’s clash with Mexico on Thursday, 29 October, presents the Flamingos with an opportunity to build on their strong finish to the group stage. Ghana will look to carry their winning momentum into their encounter with Argentina.
Hosts Morocco face DPR Korea after conceding nine goals in their final two group matches, while Kenya must overcome Japan to keep their campaign alive.
With four African teams in the last 16, the continent has several chances to advance. Consistency, defensive organisation, and clinical finishing will be crucial as they seek quarter-final spots.
