Doha: The 20th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup is set to commence in Doha with the largest participation in the tournament’s history, featuring 48 national teams. This event marks the start of five consecutive tournaments that Doha will host until 2029, with matches scheduled across eight stadiums within the Aspire Academy over a span of 25 days, culminating on November 27.
According to Qatar News Agency, the tournament’s opening match will see the Qatar national team face Italy at 6:45 pm on Pitch No. 7 at Aspire, as part of Group A. The group also includes South Africa and Bolivia. This tournament is a significant opportunity for Qatar, aiming to surpass its best-ever result of fourth place in the 1991 edition held in Italy.
Under Spanish coach Alvaro Mejia, the Qatari squad has been preparing extensively, participating in several tournaments and friendly matches. Their preparation included an overseas training camp, where they played against Belgium, Croatia, and Ukraine. These efforts were complemented by participation in last month’s GCC U-17 Cup in Doha.
The tournament will feature eight matches on the opening day prior to the official opening ceremony. The first match will see Bolivia face South Africa at 3:30 pm on Aspire Field No. 3, while Costa Rica will meet the United Arab Emirates at the same time on Aspire Field No. 8. Additionally, Senegal will play Croatia, Morocco will face Japan, Portugal will meet New Caledonia, Tunisia will play Fiji, and Argentina will face Belgium in various group fixtures.
This year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup features a new format with 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four, competing in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the Round of 32. The tournament will follow a structured elimination format leading up to the final match at Khalifa International Stadium.
The draw, held in Doha in May, allocated the 48 teams into four seeding pots based on their previous performances. Qatar, as the host nation, was placed in Pot 1 and seeded at the top of Group A. The group allocations have been made with an aim to ensure competitive balance and exciting matchups throughout the tournament.
The local organizing committee has made comprehensive arrangements to ensure the tournament’s success, building on Qatar’s experience in hosting major international events. The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 promises to deliver a football carnival atmosphere, especially with fan zones set up around the Aspire Zone stadiums.