Falconets on the Move! Nigeria vs Senegal U20 Qualifier Relocates to Abeokuta

The Nigeria U20 women’s national team, Falconets, will now prosecute their crucial 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture against Senegal in Abeokuta, following approval from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for a change of venue.

The third-round, first-leg encounter, originally scheduled to hold at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, on Saturday, 7th February 2026, has been officially moved to the MKO Abiola Sports Complex, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The confirmation was made by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) through its Director of Competitions, Ruth David, who disclosed that the request for a venue change became necessary due to the deteriorating condition of the playing surface at the Lekan Salami Stadium.

The Ibadan venue had earlier hosted the Falconets during their second-round, second-leg clash against Rwanda in September last year. However, recent assessments reportedly raised concerns about the pitch’s suitability for a high-stakes international fixture, prompting the NFF to seek CAF’s intervention in the interest of player safety and match quality.

With CAF’s approval secured, the Falconets are expected to relocate their training base from Ibadan to Abeokuta in the coming days. This move will allow the two-time FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup silver medallists to acclimatize to the turf and conditions at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex ahead of the decisive clash.

Nigeria heads into the third round with confidence, having comfortably dispatched Rwanda 5–0 on aggregate in the previous round. The Senegal fixture represents another major hurdle on the road to the global tournament, with the winner over two legs advancing to the final qualifying round.

In the last round, the successful side between Nigeria and Senegal will face the winner of the tie involving Guinea Bissau and Malawi, with a coveted ticket to the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Poland (5–27 September 2026) at stake.

The relocation to Abeokuta is also seen as an opportunity for football fans in Ogun State to witness top-level women’s international football, while the Falconets will be banking on familiar home support to boost their chances in the first leg.

As preparations intensify, all eyes will now be on Abeokuta, where the Falconets aim to take another decisive step toward returning to the world stage and reaffirming Nigeria’s dominance in African women’s youth football.