Nigeria’s U‑20 women’s side, the Falconets, may have to begin the 2026 FIFA U‑20 Women’s World Cup in Poland without captain Joy Igbokwe after the midfielder ran into visa problems.
Igbokwe, who plays for Nasarawa Amazons and led the team throughout the qualifying campaign, has not received official confirmation from the Nigeria Football Federation or herself about a visa rejection, and the precise cause of the setback—whether paperwork, processing delays or another administrative matter—has not been disclosed.
Reports suggest that several other Falconets players are also experiencing visa difficulties, although their identities and the nature of their issues have not been made public, leaving coach Moses Aduku to potentially make late squad adjustments.
The team has kept training despite the uncertainty, posting a 10‑0 victory over Sunshine FC in July, while Aduku stresses the need for fitness, confidence and a winning mindset before facing Group F opponents Spain, China PR and Paraguay in Poland from 5 to 27 September.
Nigeria secured its World Cup place by defeating Rwanda, Senegal and Malawi, maintaining its record of appearing at every edition of the tournament since 2002, but the unresolved visa situation means Igbokwe’s participation and the captaincy could still be altered before the squad departs.
Source: www.gistreel.com
