Spain began their defence of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Nigeria, while China recorded the biggest win of the opening day by beating New Caledonia 5-0.
The first round of matches on Monday, 7 September 2026, produced a series of high-scoring and competitive encounters across the Polish venues, with several of the leading contenders making an immediate statement.
Spain, the reigning champions, finished the day among the winners after overcoming Nigeria by two goals. The result ensured the holders made the strongest possible start to their campaign, although Nigeria were unable to find a way through Spain’s defence.
Earlier in the afternoon, DPR Korea also made a confident opening to the tournament. They defeated Portugal 2-0 in a disciplined performance that reflected their collective organisation and control of the match.
China’s victory was the most emphatic result of the day. Their attack overwhelmed New Caledonia’s defence as they claimed a 5-0 success, a margin that moved them to the top of their group after the opening round of fixtures.
The final match of the day saw Colombia beat Costa Rica 3-1. Colombia established their authority after raising the intensity in the second half, eventually securing a deserved victory against their opponents.
The opening programme offered early evidence of the ambitions held by a number of the competition’s leading nations. Spain maintained the standards expected of the defending champions, while China underlined their attacking threat with five goals. DPR Korea’s controlled display against Portugal provided another notable result as the tournament got under way.
For Nigeria, Portugal, New Caledonia and Costa Rica, the opening round ended in defeat, leaving them needing improved results in their next matches. Colombia’s second-half response and Spain’s composed victory were among the defining moments of Monday’s action.
With the first day now complete, China sit at the summit of their group following their five-goal performance. Spain, DPR Korea and Colombia also secured valuable winning starts as the competition began with intense contests and a succession of decisive results on Polish pitches.