According to a report by ESPN on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Nigeria's Flamingos have suffered a major setback ahead of their crucial FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup semi-final encounter against Brazil, following the absence of midfielder Tosin Rafiu from the starting lineup.

The young Nigerian midfielder, who has been an important member of the Flamingos squad during their impressive campaign in Morocco, was expected to feature against Brazil. However, she has been left out of the starting eleven and named among the substitutes after reportedly picking up a slight injury.

Rafiu's absence from the starting team represents a concern for Nigeria, considering the importance of the semi-final and the quality of opposition they are preparing to face. Brazil have demonstrated considerable attacking strength throughout the competition, meaning the Flamingos will need their best available players to compete effectively.

The midfielder previously featured in Nigeria's quarter-final victory over Venezuela, where the Flamingos secured a hard-fought 1-0 win to book their place in the last four.

Head coach Akeem Busari has therefore decided against risking the midfielder from the beginning, handing Awawu Bashiru an opportunity to start in her place. Bashiru is the only change to Nigeria's starting lineup, with the other ten players who started against Venezuela retaining their positions.

Although Rafiu has not been ruled out of the encounter, her placement on the bench means Nigeria may have to begin the match without one of the players who featured in their previous knockout fixture.

The good news for the Flamingos is that Rafiu remains among the available substitutes, meaning she could still play a part if her fitness permits and Nigeria require her services during the match.

Nigeria will now depend on Bashiru, Mary Dunstan and Favour Nkwocha to provide the necessary energy and creativity in midfield against Brazil.

The South American side will also present a difficult challenge after defeating China PR 2-1 in the quarter-finals, with Helena scoring twice to secure their qualification for the semi-finals.

For the Flamingos, reaching the final for the first time in their history remains the ultimate objective. They previously finished third at the 2022 edition in India and will be determined to go one step further this time.

The semi-final encounter is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco, with kick-off set for 7:00 PM Nigerian time.

Nigeria will hope that Rafiu's reported injury does not become a bigger problem and that she can recover sufficiently to contribute if called upon.

The big question now is whether Awawu Bashiru can adequately fill the gap left by Tosin Rafiu and help the Flamingos overcome Brazil to secure a historic place in the final.