Akeem Busari Leads Nigeria's Flamingos to World Cup Victory

Akeem Busari, appointed head coach of Nigeria's U-17 girls' national team on April 2, 2026, led the Flamingos to a historic victory in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, defeating Japan 2-1 in the final on November 7, 2026. This achievement makes Nigeria the first African country to win this tournament.

Busari took over the team seven months prior, following a bronze medal finish at the 2022 edition in India. His coaching career includes roles at Pacesetter Queens Football Club, Shooting Stars, Gateway United, JSP FC, and Bayelsa Queens, as well as experience in the Republic of Benin.

He began his coaching education at the National Institute for Sports in Lagos, obtaining his initial qualification in 1999 and completing higher programmes by October 2006. Under his leadership, the Flamingos recovered from an opening defeat to Poland, with key contributions from players like Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku, who scored crucial goals in the semi-final and final, respectively.