Matchday 3 of the FIFA U‑20 Women’s World Cup Poland 2026 delivered decisive results, with Ghana officially eliminated after a heavy defeat to France.
The Black Princesses finish bottom of their group, marking the first time in eight editions that Ghana have exited at the group stage.
Matchday 3 Results
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand 0–9 USA 🇺🇸
- 🇮🇹 Italy 1–1 Japan 🇯🇵
- 🇰🇷 South Korea 3–2 Ecuador 🇪🇨
- 🇬🇭 Ghana 0–4 France 🇫🇷
These results confirm that USA and Canada have already qualified for the knockout stage. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s fate will be decided on Sunday, 13 September, when the Falconets face New Caledonia in Łódź at 2:00pm WAT.
Ghana’s Elimination
Ghana’s campaign unravelled after their early momentum:
- A win over South Korea in their second match kept hopes alive.
- But a heavy 4–0 defeat to France ended their chances.
- The Black Princesses finish 4th in their group and are eliminated.
This marks a historic setback: for the first time, Ghana exit the FIFA U‑20 Women’s World Cup at the group stage.
With Ghana out, Nigeria are now Africa’s only remaining team in the tournament.
Nigeria’s Qualification Scenarios
Softfootball’s analysis shows two clear routes for the Falconets:
1. Finish 2nd in Group F
- Beat New Caledonia
- Spain beat China
- Nigeria finish with a better goal difference than China
If this happens, Nigeria finish second and face England in the Round of 16.
2. Qualify as One of the Best Third‑Placed Teams
- Even a 1–0 win is enough
- Nigeria would reach 4 points, surpassing Ecuador (3 points)
This route sends Nigeria to face France or Italy in the last 16.
With the group stage reaching its climax, the Falconets carry Africa’s hopes. A win on Sunday guarantees their place in the knockout rounds, the only question is which path they take.
