Flamingos face Puerto Rico today needing win to keep U-17 World Cup hopes alive

Nigeria's Flamingos go into their second Group B match at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup on Tuesday knowing a win is needed to keep their hopes of reaching the Round of 16 alive.

The team lost their opener 2-1 to Poland in Rabat last Saturday. They now face Puerto Rico, who are playing at this tournament for the first time, at the Mohammed VI Stadium, Pitch 4, in Rabat. Kick-off is 7pm Nigerian time.

Coach Akeem Busari said the squad had gone back over the Poland game and would fix what went wrong.

"We have reviewed our first match against Poland, and I can say we have learnt our lessons," Busari told reporters.

He said the technical crew had also watched Puerto Rico's opening match against North Korea, and that the team now has a clearer idea of how to set up for Tuesday's game.

Why this match matters

Only the top teams in each group are sure of a place in the Round of 16, so a second straight defeat would leave Nigeria depending on other results. A win keeps the Flamingos in the fight and sets up a tense final group game.

For the players, most of them teenagers, this is also a chance to show themselves on a world stage that has produced senior internationals for Nigeria in the past.

Puerto Rico arrive as newcomers but not as pushovers. Their midfielder Rivera has said the team believes it can go far in the competition, according to reports from the tournament.

What happens next

After Tuesday's match, Nigeria complete their Group B fixtures. The result against Puerto Rico will decide how much is riding on that final game, and whether the Flamingos' campaign in Morocco continues into the knockout rounds.