Sierra Leone’s U-17 girls are now just one step away from securing a historic place in the final qualifying phase of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup African qualifiers after edging past Cote D’Ivoire in a tense first-round encounter last month.

The young Sierra Queens advanced with grit and determination, keeping alive the nation’s dream of reaching the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, to be staged in Morocco from October 17 to November 7 this year.

With the first hurdle cleared in April, Sierra Leone is in good sharp ready to handle Benin in the second round of the African qualifiers, a tie that could move them within touching distance of the last eight and closer to an unprecedented World Cup appearance.

The first leg will be played on Monday, May 25, at the Kegue stadium in Lome, before the return leg on May 29, 2026, at the same venue, where Sierra Leone will seek to finish the job and continue their remarkable campaign.

Across the continent, 16 nations, including Sierra Leone, remain in contention, as Africa’s rising stars battle for qualification to the global showpiece. While traditional powerhouses such as Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and South Africa once again dominate the headlines, Sierra Leone’s emergence has become one of the competition’s most compelling stories.

The West African football-loving nation’s U-17 Women’s team, led by Fatmata “Taribo” Turay as head coach, has so far shown resilience and tactical discipline in the qualifiers, qualities that proved decisive against their Ivorian counterparts last month and could again be crucial against Benin in the coming days.

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup African Qualifiers second round will begin on Friday, May 22, with an East African derby between Uganda and Kenya in Kampala, while Senegal hosts Cameroon in another crucial tie.

The following day, continental giants Nigeria will travel to Abidjan to face Guinea, while Ghana will welcome Liberia in Accra, and Tanzania hosts South Africa in Zanzibar in another highly anticipated clash. 

For Sierra Leone, however, the spotlight will firmly remain on their showdown with Benin, a contest carrying the weight of national expectation and the possibility of another landmark achievement for women’s football in the country.

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup African Qualifiers – Full Second Round Fixtures:

First Legs

• ● Uganda vs. Kenya — 22 May, Kampala
• ● Senegal vs. Cameroon — 22 May, Dakar
• ● Tanzania vs. South Africa — 23 May, Zanzibar City
• ● Zambia vs. DR Congo — 23 May, Ndola
• ● Ghana vs. Liberia — 23 May, Accra
• ● Guinea vs. Nigeria — 23 May, Abidjan
• ● Ethiopia vs Burundi — 24 May, Addis Ababa
• ● Benin vs. Sierra Leone — 25 May, Lome

Second Legs

• ●Sierra Leone vs. Benin — 29 May, Lome
• ●Kenya vs. Uganda — 30 May, Nairobi
• ● Burundi vs. Ethiopia — 30 May, Bujumbura
• ● Cameroon vs. Senegal — 30 May, Yaounde
• ● Liberia vs. Ghana — 30 May, Paynesville
• ● DR Congo vs. Zambia — 31 May, Lubumbashi
• ● South Africa vs. Tanzania — 31 May, Tshwane
• ● Nigeria vs. Guinea — 31 May, Ikenne