U-20 Women’s World Cup: Quarter-Final Fixtures Confirmed as Nigeria, Brazil, South Korea and Italy Book Spots

By Elizabeth

The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland has reached the quarter-final stage, with several teams securing their places in the last eight following a dramatic round of 16.

Nigeria’s Falconets produced one of the standout performances of the knockout rounds, defeating England 3-0 to advance. Brazil needed penalties to see off the United States, while South Korea and Italy also booked their quarter-final tickets.

Nigeria Stun England to Reach Last Eight

Nigeria’s Falconets delivered a commanding performance to defeat England 3-0 at the Bielsko-Biala Stadium on Thursday, securing their place in the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup .

Tosin Rafiu gave Nigeria the lead in the eighth minute, settling the team’s nerves early and putting England on the back foot . The Falconets nearly doubled their advantage before half-time, but England were handed a golden opportunity to equalise from the penalty spot. Captain Christiana Uzoma proved to be the hero, saving Rachel Maltby’s penalty to preserve Nigeria’s lead heading into the break .

The second half was barely two minutes old when Seimeyeha Janet Akekoromowei struck to make it 2-0, effectively putting the game beyond England’s reach . Mary Mamudu completed the scoring in the 73rd minute, sealing an emphatic victory that sent the Falconets into the last eight .

The result means Nigeria have now scored 13 goals in four matches at the tournament, a testament to their attacking prowess. The Falconets have recorded two wins, one draw and one defeat, keeping two clean sheets along the way .

Nigeria’s Quarter-Final Opponent

Nigeria will face either hosts Poland or Colombia in the quarter-finals on Sunday, September 20, 2026. The match is scheduled to take place at Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź in Łódź, with kick-off set for 6:30pm West Africa Time .

The Falcons’ head coach Moses Aduku had spoken before the England game about the weight of expectation on his team, noting that Nigeria were the only African team remaining in the competition after Ghana, Tanzania and Benin Republic exited at the group stage . Aduku revealed that winning the World Cup has been his objective since he was appointed, and he communicated that ambition to the players from the outset .

Brazil Edge USA on Penalties

Brazil advanced to the quarter-finals after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over the United States at the Arena Katowice. The match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time, with Brazil prevailing 5-4 in the shootout .

Sofia Couto gave Brazil the lead in the 59th minute, but Ainsley McCammon equalised for the Americans just four minutes later, sending the match into extra time . The game ultimately went to penalties, where Brazilian goalkeeper Thaís Lima emerged as the hero. She saved Emeri Adames’ opening spot-kick, and Brazil converted all five of their penalties to secure their place in the last eight .

Brazil will face the winner of the Spain vs Portugal match in the quarter-finals on Saturday, September 19 .

South Korea Eliminate Argentina

South Korea booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory over Argentina at the Sosnowiec Arena. Beom Ye-Joo scored the only goal of the game in the 33rd minute, firing South Korea into the last eight for the first time in 12 years .

South Korea, who finished third in 2010, will face Italy in the quarter-finals on September 19 at the Sosnowiec Arena .

Italy Beat China on Penalties

Italy secured their quarter-final spot with a hard-fought penalty shootout victory over China. The match finished 1-1 after extra time, with Italy winning 5-4 on penalties .

Italy will now face South Korea in the quarter-finals, with a place in the semi-finals at stake .

Quarter-Final Fixtures Confirmed

The confirmed quarter-final fixtures so far are:

• South Korea vs Italy – September 19, Sosnowiec Arena

• Brazil vs Spain or Portugal – September 19

• Nigeria vs Poland or Colombia – September 20, Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź, Łódź, 6:30pm WAT

• Canada vs North Korea or Japan – September 20, Stadion ŁKS, Łódź

Canada also advanced to the quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory over France, with Kaylee Hunter scoring a hat-trick. Canada will face the winner of the North Korea vs Japan match .

What’s at Stake

For Nigeria, reaching the quarter-finals represents a significant achievement, but the Falconets have their sights set on going further. Nigeria have been runners-up twice before, in 2010 and 2014, and will be hoping to go one better this time around .

Coach Aduku has made no secret of his ambitions. “Winning the World Cup has been my objective from the moment I was appointed,” he said, adding that he communicated this vision to the players and coaching staff from the very beginning .

For Brazil, South Korea and Italy, the quarter-finals represent an opportunity to continue their own journeys towards the title. The tournament, which began on September 5, is set to conclude on September 27, 2026 .

Tournament Background

The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup has been held since 2002, when the inaugural tournament took place in Canada as an under-19 event. It changed to the under-20 format in 2006 and is held every two years in even-numbered years .

The 2026 edition is being hosted by Poland, with matches taking place in several cities including Łódź, Bielsko-Biała, Katowice and Sosnowiec. The expansion to 24 teams has given more nations the opportunity to compete at the highest level of youth women’s football.