Nigeria’s U20 Women’s National Team, the Falconets, have arrived in Katowice as they complete their preparations for the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, which begins on Saturday.
The squad left its training base in Trzebnica on Thursday and checked into the Novotel Katowice Centrum, where attention has now turned to Monday’s Group F opener against Spain.
Head coach Moses Aduku and his technical staff used the Falconets’ 10-day stay in Trzebnica to focus on the team’s tactical organisation, technical execution, physical conditioning and cohesion.
The camp also allowed the players to acclimatise to their surroundings in Poland and improve their match fitness before the start of the global tournament.
Nigeria completed its final preparations with two international friendlies against strong opposition. The Falconets secured a 1-0 win over hosts Poland last Friday, with Mary Mamudu scoring the only goal in the first half.
Mamudu was again on the scoresheet in the team’s final warm-up game, a 1-1 draw with Korea Republic on Tuesday.
The two matches gave Aduku and his coaching staff the chance to evaluate the squad against different styles of opposition. They also provided valuable experience of the pace, intensity and conditions the players can expect during the World Cup.
With the Trzebnica stage of the camp now complete, the Falconets will settle in Katowice before beginning their Group F campaign against Spain on Monday.
Nigeria will then face China PR on 10 September before completing the group stage against New Caledonia on 13 September.
The Falconets are drawn in Group F alongside Spain, China PR and New Caledonia, with their opening match coming shortly after the tournament gets under way in Poland on Saturday.
The team’s unbeaten run across its two warm-up fixtures will provide encouragement, although the World Cup opener against Spain will be the first competitive test of Nigeria’s preparations.
The Falconets’ training programme in Trzebnica was designed to bring together the technical, physical and tactical elements required for the tournament, while the friendly victories and draw offered a final opportunity to assess the squad before the group matches begin.