Nigeria U20 women’s Head Coach Moses Aduku and Team Administrator Kelechi Omeke will be part of Friday’s much-anticipated draw ceremony for the 12th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals taking place at the EC1 Cultural Centre in the city of Łódź, Poland.
Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ghana and Tanzania emerged at the weekend as Africa’s four flag-bearers at the 24-nation tournament, set to be staged 5th – 27th September in the Polish cities of Łódź, Katowice, Sosnowiec and Bielsko-Biała.
All the 24 qualified teams have been drawn into four pots of six teams each, from which will emerge six groups of four teams each, as the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup final tournament continues to captivate the global audience.
Poland 2026 takes the excitement even higher with as many as six new debutants (hosts Poland, Portugal, New Caledonia, Ecuador, Tanzania and Benin Republic), while Germany, who edged Nigeria in the final matches of the 2010 and 2014 tournaments, will be missing for the first time ever.
Europe’s flag will be flown by hosts Poland, France, Italy, England, Portugal and Spain, while China, South Korea, Japan and North Korea represent Asia. North and Central America will have Mexico, USA and Costa Rica, with Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia flying South America’s flag, and New Zealand and New Caledonia representing the Oceania region.
The Falconets, ever-present at the competition, have been drawn in Pot 2 alongside USA, Canada, Colombia, Mexico and New Zealand, while Ghana, making theirL eighth appearance, will be in Pot 3 with South Korea, England, Argentina, China and Italy.
The NIS boss made these remarks while receiving former Super Eagles Coach and Technical Adviser, Austine Eguavoen, during a strategic meeting between the NIS and the Nigeria Football Federation at the Institute Boardroom .
Shaibu praised Eguavoen as “a moving encyclopedia in sports,” acknowledging his vast experience and contributions to football development in Nigeria.
He further emphasized the strategic role of the NIS, describing it as the engine room for sports development and coaching excellence in the country. According to him, meaningful progress in Nigerian sports requires sustained collaboration with the Institute.
In his remarks, Austine Eguavoen highlighted the importance of strengthening institutional partnerships, noting that the meeting was part of a broader effort to deepen collaboration with the NIS.
He also reflected on his personal journey, expressing gratitude to the Institute for shaping his career and professional growth.
Eguavoen commended Shaibu’s leadership, stating that the ongoing reforms and improvements at the NIS are future-driven and impactful. “What is being done here is not just for today, but for the future of Nigerian sports,” he said, while congratulating the DG on his achievements.