Eight Nations, Four Battles: Nigeria & Ghana Chase U-17 World Cup Semi-Final Places

By AUGUSTUS ISICHEI

EIGHT countries have booked their places in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco following the completion of the Round of 16.

Nigeria and Ghana remain Africa’s representatives in the competition. However, they face demanding opposition as the race for the title intensifies.

The other quarter-finalists are Brazil, Venezuela, North Korea, China, Japan and the United States. With the field now reduced to eight, the remaining fixtures promise decisive contests for semi-final qualification.

Flamingos Set for Venezuela Test

Nigeria will confront Venezuela in a crucial quarter-final match as the Flamingos pursue a place in the last four. Meanwhile, Ghana will face Japan, giving the two African sides an opportunity to strengthen the continent’s challenge.

In the other fixtures, Brazil will battle China, while North Korea will take on the United States. Each encounter will determine which teams advance to the semi-finals.

Four Quarter-Final Matches on Sunday

The organisers have scheduled all four matches for Sunday 1 November 2026.

Ghana and Japan will open the day’s quarter-final programme at 4:00 p.m. Nigerian time. North Korea and the United States will also meet at that hour.

The evening programme will feature Brazil against China at 7:00 p.m. Subsequently, Nigeria will face Venezuela in the final fixture of the day.

For the Flamingos, victory over Venezuela would bring them one step closer to the tournament’s ultimate prize. Nevertheless, the competition has entered a stage where every mistake could prove costly.

With four quarter-final matches ahead, the eight surviving nations are now just two victories away from reaching the final.