Two fast-rising players in the Nigerian Women’s Football League (NWFL), Alaba Folajomi Olabiyi and Vivian Kachi have both received late inclusions into the youth national team, Falconets ahead of their outing at the World Cup in Poland.
Sports247 gathered that Olabiyi and Kachi had to be rushed into the squad as replacements for team captain, Joy Igbokwe and ace defender, Faridat Abdulwahab, who were both not granted visas by the Embassy of Poland in Abuja.
While Kachi is an emergent player, Olabiyi is a 19-year-old attacker who plays for Bayelsa Queens of Yenagoa, with which she he won the 2024/25 NWFL title and previously played for Delta Queens of Asaba, which she helped clinch the 2022/23 league diadem.
Olabiyi had been part of the Falconets’ squad that won the U-20 Women’s WAFU B Championship in Benin Republic in 2025, after which she scored crucial goals during qualifiers for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, including a decisive match-winner against Rwanda.
She is now back into the squad through providence and will aim to make the best of her second chance by getting regular action at the upcoming FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
On his part, Falconets’ coach, Moses Aduku will have to pick a new captain and fashion out fresh tactics to accommodate the late arrivals, while also making up for the absent duo, who were key players in his starting line-up.
Aduku will also charge all the players to put in their total focus and commitment towards the forthcoming challenge, ahead of which the team will play build-up friendlies on Friday and Tuesday, as they step up efforts towards a strong outing at the global championship.
A press statement by the communciations department of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) revealed that the Falconets will face Poland this Friday at Municipal Stadium in Brzeg, starting at 12 noon local time, following which they will tango Korea inside Remes Resort at 4pm on Tuesday.
Officials said both friendlies will enable the technical crew assess the team’s progress and make necessary adjustments ahead of the fast-approaching World Cup, while hoping that the players will also adapt to the weather quickly, in order to overcome all demands of the competition.
Sports247 gathered further that the Falconets will compete in Group F at Poland 2026, where they will first confront Spain on September 7th, after which they get to play versus China on the 10th September and then end first round fxtures against New Caledonia three days later.
With Nigeria hhaving emerged as runners-up in the 2010 and 2014 editions of the Female Youth Mundial, Aduku and his players will aim to go further at Poland 2026, as they will try to clinch a first-ever FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup title for their country.
, Alaba Folajomi Olabiyi and Vivian Kachi have both received){kind=link}