2026 U-17 WWC: Nigeria, Ghana, six others qualify for quarter-finals

According to Daily post, Eight countries have qualified for the quarter-final stage of the ongoing 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco following the conclusion of the Round of 16 matches on Thursday.

Nigeria’s Flamingos secured their place in the last eight after defeating Mexico 2-1, continuing their campaign in the competition with hopes of progressing further.

The Nigerian side delivered a crucial performance against Mexico to book a quarter-final ticket and keep their hopes of winning the tournament alive.

According to reports, the eight countries that advanced to the quarter-final stage are Nigeria, Ghana, Brazil, Venezuela, North Korea, China, Japan and the United States of America.

China secured qualification after defeating France in a penalty shoot-out following a goalless draw at the end of regulation time.

The Chinese team held their opponents to a 0-0 stalemate before prevailing in the shoot-out to claim one of the available quarter-final places.

Japan also progressed to the last eight after defeating Kenya in their Round of 16 encounter.

Meanwhile, the United States eliminated Spain from the competition to secure their place among the remaining eight teams.

The results confirmed the departure of several countries that had hoped to advance further in the tournament, with the Round of 16 producing decisive encounters across the competition.

Nigeria’s qualification is particularly significant for African football, as the Flamingos remain in contention for the title alongside Ghana, who also secured a place in the quarter-final stage.

The presence of two African countries in the last eight offers the continent further opportunities to make an impact at the global youth tournament.

The Flamingos will now turn their attention to the quarter-final stage, where they will face another important test in their pursuit of the trophy.

Nigeria’s victory over Mexico has boosted the team’s chances of continuing its impressive run, although the players will need to maintain their concentration and performance levels against the remaining contenders.

The quarter-final matches are scheduled to begin on Saturday at different venues across Morocco.

With eight teams remaining in the competition, the next round is expected to produce more competitive encounters as the participating countries battle for places in the semi-finals.

The tournament has provided a platform for young female footballers to demonstrate their abilities on the international stage, while the remaining teams continue their pursuit of the championship.

For Nigeria, attention will be on whether the Flamingos can build on their victory over Mexico and progress beyond the quarter-final stage.

The Nigerian team will also hope to make the most of its opportunity to represent the country and African football as the competition enters its decisive phase.

All eight qualified countries will now prepare for Saturday’s quarter-final fixtures, with the winners moving one step closer to lifting the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup trophy.

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