FIFA U-17 World Cups 2026: Every Men’s and Women’s Team, Tournament Date and Unbiased Outlook
The men’s tournament will bring 48 national teams to Qatar, while 24 women’s national teams will compete in Morocco. Here is the complete confirmed field, the official group structure, where and when the tournaments will be played, and which countries appear best positioned before the final squads are named.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup and FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup are competitions for national representative teams. Clubs develop and employ many of the players, but clubs do not enter these tournaments. Each participating FIFA member association selects an eligible national squad.
Are Clubs Allowed to Participate?
The entries represent countries and FIFA member associations, not academies or professional clubs. A player may belong to a club such as Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Toronto FC, Inter Miami, a local academy or a school programme, but the player competes for an eligible national association at the tournament.
Clubs can therefore be heavily represented through their players, but a club cannot qualify, enter a team or win the FIFA U-17 World Cup itself.
FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026: Dates, Location and Format
The second annual 48-team edition will be played from 19 November to 13 December 2026.
The 48 men’s teams are divided into 12 groups of four. The top two in each group advance, along with the eight best third-placed teams, creating a Round of 32. Qatar qualifies automatically as host. Portugal won the 2025 edition but failed to qualify for 2026, meaning the men’s title will change hands.
Confirmed Men’s Groups and Participating Countries
Group A
- Qatar
- Panama
- Egypt
- Greece
Group B
- Korea Republic
- Uganda
- New Caledonia
- Ecuador
Group C
- Argentina
- Australia
- Mozambique
- Denmark
Group D
- France
- Haiti
- Saudi Arabia
- Uruguay
Group E
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Uzbekistan
Group F
- Senegal
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Tajikistan
Group G
- Mali
- New Zealand
- Belgium
- Vietnam
Group H
- Spain
- China PR
- Fiji
- Morocco
Group I
- Brazil
- Republic of Ireland
- Tanzania
- Costa Rica
Group J
- United States
- Montenegro
- Chile
- Algeria
Group K
- Mexico
- Romania
- Cameroon
- Venezuela
Group L
- Japan
- Colombia
- Serbia
- Honduras
Men’s Tournament Prospects: An Unbiased Pre-Squad Assessment
Predicting an under-17 tournament months in advance is less reliable than predicting senior international football. Many players are still developing physically, final squads may change rapidly, and a single high-level prospect can alter a team’s attacking or defensive ceiling.
The tiers below are therefore based on historical U-17 performance, recent continental qualification, depth of national development systems, draw difficulty and tournament experience—not on assumptions about famous senior teams.
| Tier | Countries | Unbiased outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Leading contenders | Brazil, France, Argentina, Spain, Mali, Japan | These programmes combine strong youth pathways with meaningful U-17 tournament history. Brazil and France possess exceptional depth; Mali repeatedly performs above its population and financial profile; Japan is tactically organized; Argentina and Spain should control possession effectively. |
| Serious knockout threats | Italy, Mexico, Senegal, United States, Morocco, Uzbekistan, Korea Republic | All have credible routes to the latter rounds. Uzbekistan and Morocco should not be treated as outsiders simply because their senior reputations are smaller than the traditional European and South American powers. |
| High-upside dark horses | Belgium, Colombia, Ecuador, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Cameroon | These teams have enough technical or athletic quality to eliminate a favourite, but consistency across a long 48-team tournament remains the main question. |
| Developmental or difficult-to-measure entries | Debutants and returning teams including Greece, Montenegro, Mozambique, Romania, Serbia, Tanzania and Vietnam | Limited World Cup history makes them difficult to rank. That does not make them weak; it means there is less evidence. The expanded format gives emerging programmes a realistic opportunity to reach the Round of 32. |
Groups worth watching
Group E is one of the most balanced groups. Italy has tournament pedigree, Uzbekistan is a genuine youth-football force, Côte d’Ivoire offers physical and technical danger, and Jamaica returns after a long absence.
Group H gives Spain the favourite’s position, but Morocco has become increasingly competitive across youth levels. China’s return and Fiji’s opportunity add contrasting tactical profiles.
Group L may be among the strongest technically, with Japan and Colombia joined by debutant Serbia and a Honduras team familiar with U-17 competition.
FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026: Dates, Location and Format
The tenth edition will be played from 17 October to 7 November 2026 with 24 national teams.
Morocco will host the women’s U-17 finals annually through 2029. The six group winners and six runners-up advance to the Round of 16, joined by the four best third-placed teams. Korea DPR enter as defending champions after winning the 2025 title and extending their record as the competition’s most successful nation.
Confirmed Women’s Groups and Participating Countries
Group A
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Germany
- Argentina
Group B
- Korea DPR
- Puerto Rico
- Poland
- Nigeria
Group C
- Canada
- Brazil
- Norway
- Ghana
Group D
- Japan
- Zambia
- France
- Venezuela
Group E
- United States
- Samoa
- Kenya
- China PR
Group F
- Spain
- Mexico
- Australia
- Chile
Women’s Tournament Prospects: Who Looks Strongest?
| Tier | Countries | Unbiased outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Leading contenders | Korea DPR, Spain, Japan, United States | Korea DPR’s record and recent championship success make them the clearest benchmark. Spain and Japan possess elite technical development systems, while the United States has the player pool and athletic depth to challenge for the title. |
| Strong medal prospects | Brazil, France, Canada, Nigeria, Germany, Mexico | These teams have realistic semifinal potential. Canada’s group is difficult, Nigeria and Brazil bring attacking threat, and Germany and France remain dangerous even when their recent U-17 results fluctuate. |
| Dangerous dark horses | Ghana, Zambia, China PR, Poland, Venezuela, Morocco | Ghana and Zambia can unsettle technically dominant opponents; China is often disciplined; Poland has gained recent tournament experience; Morocco benefits from hosting familiarity and continued investment. |
| Developmental and debut entries | Argentina, Australia, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Kenya, Norway, Chile, New Zealand | This category reflects uncertainty rather than a judgment of low quality. Puerto Rico will participate in its first FIFA tournament, while Argentina and Australia make their U-17 Women’s World Cup debuts. |
The most competitive women’s groups
Group C appears exceptionally balanced. Canada, Brazil, Norway and Ghana each have a believable route to the Round of 16, and none can safely treat another as the group’s easy match.
Group D may be the deepest group at the top end. Japan and France are technically sophisticated, Zambia is capable of aggressive transition football, and Venezuela has previously reached the final four.
Group F places Spain and Mexico together, with debutant Australia and Chile capable of making qualification uncomfortable.
U-17 football is highly volatile. Birth-year strength changes from one cycle to another, academy players can develop dramatically within months, and final squad availability may depend on injuries, school calendars, club release arrangements and eligibility documentation.
Senior-team reputation should therefore never be used as the only predictor. A country with a famous senior side may have an average U-17 cycle, while a smaller association may possess an exceptional generation.
What These Tournaments Are Really For
Winning matters, but FIFA’s U-17 competitions are also talent-development events. They expose young players to international travel, tournament recovery, tactical preparation, media attention and knockout pressure before they reach senior football.
Scouts will follow the tournaments closely, but the competitions should not be treated as a final judgment on a player’s career. Some teenage stars become senior internationals immediately; others develop later, change positions or require several years before reaching professional level.
Brazil, France, Argentina, Spain, Mali and Japan begin among the strongest men’s prospects. Korea DPR, Spain, Japan and the United States lead the women’s outlook. However, the expanded formats create more knockout opportunities, and youth tournaments consistently reward teams that adapt quickly rather than simply arriving with the biggest reputation.
The fairest prediction is that at least one less-publicized national programme will reach much further than conventional football audiences expect.