Nigeria, Ghana and hosts Morocco have secured places in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, while Kenya remain among the African teams hoping to advance to the knockout stage in Morocco.

Nigeria’s Flamingos confirmed their qualification with an impressive 3-1 victory over defending champions Korea DPR in their final Group B match, while Ghana’s Black Maidens booked their place after defeating Canada 2-0 in Group C.  

The results ensured that at least two African teams progressed to the knockout stage, with Morocco also through as tournament hosts and continuing their campaign on home soil.

Nigeria produced a commanding performance against Korea DPR, with Kemi Adegbuyi opening the scoring in the 15th minute after an impressive solo effort.

Oluebube Umejiaku doubled Nigeria’s advantage in the 38th minute, finishing after being played through on goal to give the Flamingos a two-goal cushion at half-time.

Captain Kanyisola Yusuf extended the lead with a superb free-kick 11 minutes into the second half, putting Nigeria firmly in control of the contest.

Korea DPR pulled one goal back from the penalty spot in the 82nd minute, but Nigeria held on to secure a memorable 3-1 win and progress to the Round of 16.  

The victory saw the Flamingos finish second in Group B with six points from three matches, behind Korea DPR on goal difference. Nigeria will now prepare for their knockout fixture as they seek to build on their strong group-stage finish.

Ghana joined Nigeria in the last 16 after recording a 2-0 victory over Canada in their final Group C encounter on Saturday.

The win secured progression for the Black Maidens, who finished second in the group behind Brazil and gave Africa another representative in the knockout rounds.  

Morocco, meanwhile, have the advantage of home support as they continue their campaign in the competition. Their progress gives the host nation an opportunity to extend Africa’s presence in the latter stages of the tournament.

Attention will also remain on Kenya and Zambia, the other African representatives at the 24-team competition. Both sides will be looking to secure the results needed to join Nigeria, Ghana and Morocco in the Round of 16.

The tournament’s qualification format offers a route beyond the group stage for the best third-placed teams, meaning the final standings and results across the groups could prove decisive for teams still in contention.  

With the knockout stage approaching, Nigeria will be aiming to carry the confidence from their victory over the defending champions into the next round. Ghana will also seek to maintain their momentum after their win over Canada.

For African women’s youth football, the prospect of multiple teams reaching the last 16 provides a valuable opportunity to showcase the continent’s emerging talent on the global stage.

The remaining group-stage results will determine whether Kenya can join the three African sides already through, potentially increasing the continent’s representation in the knockout phase.