FIFA does not pay prize money at youth World Cups, covering travel and board for 29-member delegations instead, though Nigeria's Flamingos got US$50,000 home.

Published 8 Nov 2026, 19:48 GMT

2 min read

Nigeria's players celebrate winning the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco — Nigeria celebrate becoming the first African winners of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Rabat, Morocco

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Nigeria’s Flamingos will receive no prize money from FIFA after beating Japan 2-1 in Rabat on Saturday to become the first African champions of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Under FIFA’s tournament regulations, world youth championships at under-17 and under-20 level are treated as developmental competitions rather than commercial prize-money events.

Neither the tournament winners nor individual award recipients — including Nigeria’s Oluebube Umejiaku, who won the Golden Ball after scoring the decisive goal in Saturday’s 2-1 final victory over Japan — receive cash stipends from the world governing body.

Instead of prize money, FIFA bears the core logistical and operational costs for each participating member association’s official delegation of up to 29 people, comprising 21 players and eight team officials.

Those provisions cover economy-class international return flights from each federation’s capital city to the host nation, agreed excess baggage allowances, and full board and lodging at FIFA-approved hotels from four nights before a team’s opening fixture until the day after its final match, alongside daily allowances for match officials.

The local organising association provides domestic transport, training pitches and matchday logistics, while member associations remain responsible for comprehensive delegation insurance and any extra personnel outside the 29-member quota.

By contrast, senior tournaments such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup distribute performance-based prize pools to member federations and players according to the stage reached.

Despite the absence of a FIFA payout, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the country’s National Sports Commission (NSC) to pay all outstanding match bonuses and allowances owed to the squad from the qualifying rounds through to the final.

In a State House statement issued by Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu praised goalscorers Awawu Bashiru and Umejiaku and told the players they had "written your names in gold".

At a Saturday night reception in Rabat hosted by NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko and Director-General Bukola Olopade, commission sponsor Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu also presented the team with a US$50,000 cash reward, while Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Acting General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme dedicated the trophy to Tinubu.

Saturday’s title in Morocco — where Ghana’s Black Maidens reached the quarter-finals before losing to Japan — makes Nigeria the first African nation to win the U-17 World Cup in both the women’s and men’s categories.

Araba IncoomAraba Incoom writes on multiple topics with a vast knowledge across different sector. You can almost call me an AI, after all, my initials are Araba Incoom.

No prize money for Nigeria&#39;s Flamingos: how FIFA pays the U-17 Women&#39;s World Cup

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No prize money for Nigeria's Flamingos: how FIFA pays the U-17 Women's World Cup

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