The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 marks the first of five consecutive tournaments the country will host through 2029. Matches will take place across eight stadiums within Aspire Academy over 25 days, with 104 games in total. The competition’s grand finale will be held at Khalifa International Stadium, one of the key venues from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The tournament kicks off tomorrow with Qatar facing Italy at 6:45 pm on Pitch No. 7 in Group A, alongside South Africa and Bolivia. Qatar aims for a strong start, hoping to improve on its best-ever result of fourth place, achieved at the 1991 edition in Italy. Under Spanish coach Alvaro Mejia, the Qatari team has undergone extensive preparations, including friendly matches and participation in various tournaments.
The final phase of their preparation included an overseas training camp, where the team played three friendly matches: a 2-1 loss to Belgium, a 3-0 defeat to Croatia, and a 2-1 win over Ukraine. Last month’s GCC U-17 Cup in Doha also gave the squad valuable match experience, with the coaching staff experimenting with different lineups.
Opening Day Matches
The opening day will feature eight matches. Bolivia, making its third appearance in the tournament, will face South Africa, which is participating for the second time, at 3:30 pm on Aspire Field No. 3 in Group A. In another Group A match, Costa Rica, appearing for the 11th time, will take on the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking the UAE’s fourth appearance. This match kicks off at 3:30 pm on Aspire Field No. 8.
Later in the day, Group B sees Morocco play Japan, with the latter having made ten previous appearances. Portugal, the 2025 European champions, will face New Caledonia at 6:15 pm on Aspire Field No. 4. Tunisia, with three prior World Cup appearances, will open its Group D campaign against debutants Fiji at 6:45 pm on Aspire Field No. 8. Argentina will meet Belgium in another highly anticipated Group D clash, scheduled for 5:45 pm on Aspire Field No. 2.
New Tournament Format and Structure
This edition of the U-17 World Cup introduces a major change: for the first time, 48 teams will compete, up from the previous 24. The teams are divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two teams from each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, progressing to the knockout stage. The round-robin group stage leads into a structured elimination format, beginning with the Round of 32, followed by the Round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals, with the final match set for November 27 at Khalifa International Stadium.
Qatar, as the host nation, is placed in Pot 1 and seeded at the top of Group A. The group stage matchups include:
- Group A: Qatar (hosts), Italy, South Africa, Bolivia
- Group B: Japan, Morocco, New Caledonia, Portugal
- Group C: Senegal, Croatia, Costa Rica, UAE
- Group D: Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji
- Group E: England, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt
- Group F: Mexico, South Korea, Côte d’Ivoire, Switzerland
- Group G: Germany, Colombia, North Korea, El Salvador
- Group H: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Zambia
- Group I: United States, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, Czech Republic
- Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Ireland
- Group K: France, Chile, Canada, Uganda
- Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia
The Football Festival in Doha
The tournament is designed to foster a football carnival atmosphere, with fan zones surrounding the eight stadiums in Aspire Zone. Qatar’s extensive experience in hosting major international events sets the stage for a successful competition.
This year’s U-17 World Cup will also serve as a precursor to the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025. As excitement builds for the region’s premier football event, the tournament is expected to captivate both local and international fans alike. For more on the event, including full match schedules and team details, visit the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025: Full match schedule, teams, start, format.
