The Nigerian Senate has pledged a ₦100 million reward for the Flamingos following the Under-17 women’s national football team’s groundbreaking triumph at the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup.

The pledge came after a motion was presented by Senator Abdul Ningi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, who congratulated the players for their exceptional performance and praised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for its contribution to the team’s success.

The Flamingos made history on Saturday by becoming the first African team to win the tournament, defeating Japan 2–1 in the final held in Morocco.

Awawu Bashiru opened the scoring for Nigeria in the 39th minute, with Oluebube Umejiaku doubling the advantage two minutes into the second half. Japan reduced the deficit in the 80th minute, but the Nigerian side held firm to claim the title.

The victory concluded an impressive campaign in which the Flamingos bounced back from a 2–1 opening defeat to Poland to win five consecutive matches.

They overcame defending champions North Korea 3–1, Mexico 2–1 and Venezuela 1–0 before securing a 3–1 victory over Brazil in the semi-finals to reach their first-ever final at the competition.

Nigeria’s previous best result at the tournament was third place in 2022, when the team defeated Germany on penalties.

Before the World Cup, the Flamingos had also claimed the 2026 WAFU-B Under-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire, winning all five matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding just once.

While praising President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians for their support, the Senate also urged the Federal Government to ensure sufficient funding for sports development in the country.

Lawmakers emphasised the importance of sustaining the momentum of the victory by investing in young sporting talents and providing the necessary support for the nation’s future champions.