Nigeria defeated DPR Korea 3-1 on 23 October 2026 in their final Group B match at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco, ending an 18-match unbeaten run by the Asian side in regulation time at this tournament. FIFA counted 2,900 days since their previous defeat, against Germany in 2018, and reported that DPR Korea finished one match short of Japan's record of 19.
The definition matters: this is a run of FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup matches judged by the scores in regular playing time. It does not mean 18 consecutive wins or that the team had never been eliminated on penalties.
How the 18 matches break down
The run began after DPR Korea lost 4-1 to Germany on 14 November 2018 in their opening match of that year's World Cup. Across the subsequent editions in which they competed, DPR Korea recorded 16 wins and two draws in regular playing time before facing Nigeria in 2026.
| Edition | Unbeaten matches | Results in regulation time |
|---|---|---|
| 2018, after Germany | 3 | 2 wins and 1 draw |
| 2024 | 6 | 5 wins and 1 draw |
| 2025 | 7 | 7 wins |
| 2026, before Nigeria | 2 | 2 wins |
| Total | 18 | 16 wins and 2 draws |
The draws explain why being unbeaten is not the same as winning every match. In 2018, DPR Korea drew 1-1 with Spain in the quarter-finals but were eliminated 3-1 on penalties. In 2024, they drew 1-1 with Spain again, this time in the final, and won the title 4-3 in the shootout. Both fixtures count as matches without a regulation-time defeat.
What the 2,900 days mean
The 2,900 days are the calendar interval between 14 November 2018, when Germany beat DPR Korea 4-1, and 23 October 2026, when Nigeria won. They do not represent 2,900 days of continuously played matches. The streak spanned separate tournament editions, including the gap between DPR Korea's 2018 campaign and their return in 2024.
The calculation also excludes friendlies, the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup, other youth age groups and senior international matches. Including those games would create a different statistic.
How Nigeria brought the run to an end
At the Mohammed VI Football Complex, Oluwakemi Adegbuyi gave Nigeria the lead in the 15th minute, Oluebube Umejiaku doubled it in the 38th, and Kanyinsola Yusuf made it 3-0 with a free-kick in the 56th. Yu Jong-hyang converted a penalty for DPR Korea in the 82nd minute. The final score was 3-1, with no shootout required.
The victory sent Nigeria through to the Round of 16. DPR Korea also progressed despite the defeat. Historically, however, the decisive outcome was DPR Korea's first defeat in regulation time at the tournament since 2018.
Why Japan still hold the record
According to FIFA, Japan set the U-17 Women's World Cup record of 19 consecutive matches without defeat between 2014 and 2022. DPR Korea reached 18 but did not equal it: they would have needed to avoid defeat in regular playing time against Nigeria to reach 19.
This comparison concerns unbeaten runs in the same competition, not title totals or senior national-team performances. The result in Morocco brought DPR Korea's attempt to match the Japanese record with that run to an end.
Sources and references
- FIFA, Morocco 2026 group-stage statistics (26 October 2026)
- FIFA, 23 October 2026 recap and Nigeria v DPR Korea match details
- FIFA, Germany 4-1 DPR Korea, 14 November 2018
- FIFA, DPR Korea 3-0 United States, 17 November 2018
- FIFA, Cameroon 1-2 DPR Korea, 21 November 2018
- FIFA, Spain v DPR Korea in the 2018 quarter-finals
- FIFA, 2024 U-17 Women's World Cup schedule and results
- FIFA, annual report on the 2025 U-17 Women's World Cup
- CAF, Nigeria v DPR Korea analysis, 23 October 2026
- ACLSports, Amara Obah's report, 23 October 2026
