Irikefe Oghenetega Victor
Nigeria’s Falconets departed Abuja on Monday night for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, but the team will travel without their captain, Joy Igbokwe, due to visa issues.
The Nasarawa Amazons midfielder, who was named captain of the 21-player squad, was not among the players who left Nigeria. Reports indicate that her visa was not approved, casting serious doubt over her participation at the tournament.
Igbokwe played a key role in Nigeria’s successful qualification campaign, captaining the side during crucial matches, including the final-round clash against Malawi. Her absence would represent a major blow to the Falconets just days before the competition begins.
Nigeria qualified for the tournament after defeating Rwanda 5–0 on aggregate, Senegal 3–1 on aggregate, and Malawi 3–2 on aggregate. The Falconets have been drawn in Group F alongside Spain, China PR and New Caledonia, with their opening match against Spain scheduled for September 7.
Nigeria remain the only African country to have appeared at every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and will be aiming to go one step further after finishing as runners-up in 2010 and 2014.
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