Japan’s U-17 women’s national team are determined to complete their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026 campaign with a title triumph, but Nigeria’s Flamingos stand between them and glory.

Head coach Sadayoshi Shirai and captain Honoka Yotsumoto have expressed their determination to make history as the Little Nadeshiko prepare for Saturday’s final against Nigeria.

Japan booked their place in the final after a dramatic semi-final victory over continental rivals DPR Korea, ending a difficult run against a side that had defeated them 5-1 in last year’s World Cup quarter-finals and the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup final in May.

Despite trailing 1-0 for much of the encounter, Japan secured a late equaliser through an own goal in stoppage time to force a 1-1 draw before winning 4-1 on penalties. The victory earned them their first final appearance in 10 years.

Speaking ahead of the showdown with Nigeria, Shirai said his players were determined to maintain their momentum and fight for the title.

“We don’t want to stop here. We’ll continue moving forward, prepare as well as we can for the final, and give everything we have to become world champions,” Shirai stated.

Captain Yotsumoto also believes the victory over DPR Korea has strengthened the team's confidence and demonstrated their ability to overcome difficult challenges.

“We’ve managed to overcome barriers that had held us back for so long, one step at a time – that has given us a lot of confidence,” Yotsumoto explained. “Now we have just one more match to win, and we’re determined to make history.”

Nigeria, meanwhile, have enjoyed an impressive campaign in Morocco despite losing their opening group match 2-1 to Poland. The Flamingos recovered with a series of victories over DPR Korea, Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil to become the first African nation to reach the final of the competition.

The final will take place at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, with Japan set to feature in their 50th U-17 World Cup match, becoming only the second nation to reach that milestone.

The encounter will also be significant for Shirai, who is set to make his 16th appearance as a coach at the tournament, surpassing Kenneth Szeremeta's record for the most matches managed in the competition.

Nigeria will look to the pace and attacking threat of forward Queen Joseph, while Japan will rely on joint-top scorer Mei Hanashiro and the tactical discipline that has characterised their campaign.

Having overcome their psychological hurdle against DPR Korea, Japan will now seek to find a way past Nigeria's physical strength and attacking quality in their bid to claim the title.

For Shirai and Yotsumoto, the objective is clear: defeat the Flamingos, lift the trophy and become world champions.