Nigeria’s Flamingos are the only African team remaining in the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after booking their place in the semi-finals with a narrow 1-0 victory over Venezuela in the quarter-finals.

The West Africans secured their passage to the last four on Sunday, November 1, thanks to a late penalty from captain Azeezat Oduntan in the 89th minute. The decisive strike ended Venezuela’s resistance and kept Nigeria’s hopes of winning the competition alive.

Nigeria’s qualification means Africa’s representation in the tournament now rests solely on the Flamingos following Ghana’s 1-0 defeat to Japan.

Ghana’s Black Maidens bowed out after a closely contested encounter, with Nanami Kurita scoring Japan’s winning goal in the 54th minute. Despite a determined defensive effort, the defeat ended Ghana’s campaign at the quarter-final stage.

The other quarter-final results also produced impressive performances from the remaining contenders. Defending champions DPR Korea defeated the United States 3-0, with Ri Ui-gyong scoring twice and Ri Ye-rim adding another goal to secure their semi-final ticket.

Brazil completed the final-four line-up with a 2-1 comeback victory over China PR. China took the lead through Wu Yichen in the 42nd minute, but Helena equalised immediately after the restart before scoring again in the 88th minute to send Brazil through.

Semi-final fixtures

The semi-finals will take place on Wednesday, November 4, with two exciting encounters scheduled.

Japan will face DPR Korea at 2:00 pm in an all-Asian showdown. Japan advanced after eliminating Ghana, while DPR Korea continued their title defence with a convincing victory over the United States.

In the second semi-final, Brazil will take on Nigeria at 5:30 pm. The Flamingos will be aiming to overcome the South American side and secure a place in the final as Africa’s last representatives.

With four teams remaining, the race for the 2026 title is entering its decisive stage, and Nigeria will carry the continent’s hopes into the final four.

Ghana’s Black Maidens have exited the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup following a narrow 1-0 defeat to Japan in their quarter-final encounter in Morocco.

Nanami Kurita scored the only goal of the match in the 54th minute to send Japan into the semi-finals and bring Ghana’s campaign to an end.

The Black Maidens found it difficult to break down the technically gifted Japanese side and struggled to create the breakthrough needed to get back into the contest.

Despite the defeat, Ghana’s defensive unit put up a determined performance, with the goalkeeper and defenders working hard to contain Japan and prevent the scoreline from becoming more damaging. By conceding just one goal, Ghana recorded the fewest goals conceded by any team against Japan at the tournament.

Defender Latifa Musah was Ghana’s highest-rated player, earning an impressive rating of 7.9. Captain Rafia Osman followed with 7.5, while fellow defender Juliana Gyekyewaa recorded a rating of 7.0.

Goalkeeper Belinda Maku Aklie was rated 6.9, placing fourth among Ghana’s players, while defender Seraphina Essenam completed the top five with a rating of 6.5.

Although Ghana will be disappointed to see their World Cup journey end at the quarter-final stage, the defensive resilience displayed against Japan was a notable positive from the encounter.

The Black Maidens bow out of the competition after an encouraging campaign that saw them reach the last eight, while Japan continue their pursuit of the title.

Africa will have just two representatives in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, with Ghana and Nigeria emerging as the continent’s remaining contenders following the conclusion of the Round of 16.

The Black Maidens and Nigeria’s Flamingos have secured places among the final eight, keeping Africa’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive after the elimination of Morocco and Kenya.

Ghana booked their quarter-final ticket following a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Argentina after a 1-1 draw.

Nigeria also secured qualification with a 2-1 victory over Mexico, continuing their impressive campaign after recovering from an opening group-stage defeat to Poland.

However, the journey ended for hosts Morocco, who suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat to defending champions Korea DPR, while Kenya’s historic run was halted by Japan, who recorded a 3-1 victory over the Junior Starlets.

The outcome leaves Ghana and Nigeria as the only African nations in the quarter-final stage, following a historic group-stage campaign in which four African teams reached the Round of 16 for the first time.

Quarter-final fixtures

The quarter-finals will take place on Sunday, November 1, with Ghana facing Japan at 3:00 pm Ghana time.

Nigeria will take on Venezuela at 6:00 pm, while defending champions Korea DPR face the United States in another quarter-final encounter. Brazil will also battle China for a place in the last four.

For Ghana, the challenge is to overcome Japan and move beyond the quarter-final stage, while Nigeria will be aiming to maintain their momentum against Venezuela.

With two African nations still in contention, the continent will be looking to the Black Maidens and the Flamingos to carry its challenge forward and secure places in the semi-finals.

Ghana’s Black Maidens are set for a challenging quarter-final encounter against Japan at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, with both sides eyeing a place in the semi-finals when they meet on Sunday, November 1.

Japan, popularly known as the Little Nadeshiko, have enjoyed an impressive campaign in Morocco, winning all three of their Group D matches to finish top with nine points.

The Asian side began their group-stage campaign with a commanding 5-0 victory over Zambia before recording a 2-0 win against France. They completed their group assignments with another 2-0 triumph over Venezuela, finishing with a perfect record of three wins from three matches.

Japan’s performances have once again demonstrated their quality and consistency at youth level, with the team carrying a rich history in the competition.

The Little Nadeshiko have appeared in every edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup since its introduction in 2008, making the ongoing tournament their tenth appearance. They are among the few nations to have maintained a presence at every edition.

Their record includes a historic title triumph in 2014, alongside runner-up finishes in 2010 and 2016. On six occasions — 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022, 2024 and 2025 — Japan have reached the quarter-finals but failed to progress to the last four.

For Ghana, the meeting presents another opportunity to make a statement on their return to the global stage after missing the previous edition.

The Black Maidens are making their first appearance at the tournament since 2018, when they reached the quarter-finals. Ghana’s best performance remains their bronze-medal finish in 2012, while their subsequent appearances in 2014, 2016 and 2018 also ended at the quarter-final stage.

After an absence from the competition, the team will be determined to make their return count by going beyond the last eight and securing a place in the semi-finals for the first time.

Ghana’s journey to this stage has required resilience. The Black Maidens opened their Group C campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Norway before playing out an entertaining 3-3 draw against Brazil. They revived their qualification hopes with a crucial 2-0 victory over Canada to progress to the knockout stage.

Their Round of 16 encounter against Argentina proved to be another stern test. After playing out a 1-1 draw, Ghana held their nerve to win 5-4 on penalties and book their place in the quarter-finals.

With Japan’s pedigree and Ghana’s determination to progress beyond the quarter-final stage, Sunday’s encounter promises to be a fascinating contest.

For the Black Maidens, the mission is to rise to the occasion, overcome one of the most established teams in the competition and take another important step towards adding to Ghana’s history at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.