FIFA U-17 World Cup triumph: SKAID Foundation award Flamingos star scholarship

Spread the word The Southern Kaduna Aid Foundation (SKAID) has announced a fully funded university scholarship for Nigeria’s Flamingos forward, Queen Joseph, in recognition of her contribution to the country’s historic victory at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The foundation said the scholarship would cover Queen’s education through to graduation at any university of her choice in Nigeria, blueprint reports.

Queen, an Atyap daughter from Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was part of the Nigerian team that defeated Japan 2-1 in the final on November 7 in Rabat, Morocco, to become the first African country to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

SKAID announced the scholarship in a congratulatory statement signed by its Chairman, Board of Trustees, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai (rtd.), describing the player’s achievement as a source of pride for Southern Kaduna and Nigeria.

The foundation said the scholarship was intended to recognise Queen’s contribution to the Flamingos’ historic campaign while supporting her educational ambitions beyond football.

It said the decision reflected its belief in the potential of young people from Southern Kaduna and its commitment to creating opportunities for them to achieve their aspirations.

Queen, born on November 24, 2009, is a striker and a final-year secondary school student at FOSLA Academy, Abuja, where she also serves as a school ambassador.

Her emergence in Nigerian football has been marked by rapid progress through the national youth teams.

According to the foundation, she was invited to the Nigeria U-17 camp at the age of 14 and went on to become the Flamingos’ leading scorer at the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, where she registered three goals.

She subsequently featured for Nigeria’s U-20 side at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland before returning to the U-17 team for the tournament in Morocco.

The young forward played an important role in Nigeria’s run to the 2026 final, including the semi-final victory over Brazil.

She scored one of the goals and provided an assist as the Flamingos defeated Brazil 3-1 to secure their place in the final, becoming the first African team to reach the championship match of the competition.

Nigeria eventually completed the historic campaign by overcoming Japan 2-1, securing Africa’s first title in the tournament.

The victory marked a significant milestone for Nigerian women’s football and the continent, with the Flamingos becoming the first African side to lift the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup trophy.

SKAID also highlighted Queen’s achievements in other sporting activities, noting that she won gold in the junior girls’ 800 metres at the 2024 FCT School Sports Festival.

She was also named Most Valuable Player at the inaugural HerGame Girls Football Championship.

The foundation further noted her involvement in mentoring younger players following her return from international assignments, describing her as an emerging role model for girls interested in sports.

It said her achievements demonstrated the opportunities available to young people when talent is supported with access to education and the right development environment.

The foundation said the scholarship formed part of its broader mission to transform lives and promote sustainable development in Southern Kaduna through education, healthcare, skills acquisition and women’s empowerment.

It called on well-wishers and development partners to join in celebrating Queen’s achievement and investing in the next generation of girls from the area.

“SKAID is immensely proud of Queen Joseph and the entire Flamingos squad for making history as Africa’s first FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup champions,” the statement said.

The foundation added that its commitment to Queen was intended not only to celebrate her sporting achievement but also to help secure her future through higher education.

The scholarship offer places education alongside sporting excellence in the recognition of the young footballer, whose rise through Nigeria’s youth teams has made her one of the emerging faces of the country’s women’s game.