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2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup
International youth football championship tournament From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup will be the 20th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the annual international men's youth football tournament contested by the under-17 national teams of the member associations of FIFA. It will be held in Qatar from 3–27 November.[1] It will be the first of the five consecutive U-17 World Cups held in Qatar, preceding the 2026, 2027, 2028 and the 2029 tournaments.
This edition will be the opening of the annual cycle adopted by FIFA for the U-17 World Cup and the first to be played in the 48-team format instead of the previous biennial 24-team tournaments.[2] As part of these changes, FIFA also decided to grant Qatar the hosting rights for the tournament for a five-year period from, 2025 to 2029.[3]
Germany are the defending champions, having won their first title in 2023.
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Format changes
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Starting with this edition, the FIFA U-17 World Cup will feature a number of changes to its format adopted during 2023. These changes stem from a proposal submitted by the Liberia Football Association at the 71st FIFA Congress held virtually on 21 May 2021, regarding FIFA's youth tournaments.[4][5] FIFA initiated a consultative process among its member associations before publishing a report by the FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger, which included an annual 48-team U-17 World Cup.[6][7] Over the following months these proposals continued to be evaluated and analysed until they were approved by the FIFA Council in October 2023,[8][9] and then confirmed on 14 March 2024.[3]
The original new competition format would have had 48 participating teams divided into four 12-team mini-tournaments consisting of three groups of four teams in single round-robin format. Within each mini-tournament, the three group winners plus the best second-placed team would advance to the semi-finals (essentially tournament's round of 16) and final (essentially tournament's quarter-finals). The four mini-tournaments winners would qualify for the final four consisting of semi-finals, third place play-off and the grand final, which would determine the champions of the tournament.[7]
In March 2025, FIFA announced that the format would be changed to mirror that of the FIFA World Cup from 2026 onwards. The teams are divided into 12 groups of four teams each, with each group playing in a single round-robin format, thus each team plays three matches. The top two teams from each group (24 teams) and the eight best third-placed teams advance to the knockout stage, starting at the round of 32 all the way to the final. In total, the tournament includes 104 matches, double the amount of past editions.[10]
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Host selection
On 15 November 2023, FIFA launched a global call for expressions of interest from member associations to host the next five editions of the U17 World Cup (2025–2029) as a single consolidated package. Member associations had to express their interest no later than 4 December 2023.[11][12]
After a FIFA Council meeting held on 14 March 2024, it was announced that Qatar would host the next five editions of the U-17 World Cup (2025–2029), as part of the new annual cycle implemented by FIFA for the tournament.[13][14] Although FIFA did not disclose whether there were other interested member associations, a joint bid by Indonesia and Singapore and another by Denmark were known to have been submitted.[15][16] This will be the first time that Qatar hosts the FIFA U-17 World Cup and the third time that the tournament will be held in the Arab world.
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Venues
The host venues were announced by FIFA on 22 May 2025.[17]
All matches will be held in the city of Al Rayyan inside the "Aspire Zone" sport complex. The final will take place in the Khalifa International Stadium, which is also in the Aspire Zone.
Location of the host city of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025.
Match officials
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On 21 August 2025, FIFA confirmed that 81 match officials from 35 member associations would be selected for the tournament. This included 27 referees and 54 assistant referees. Football Video Support will be in use during the competition.[18][19]
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Teams
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Qualification
Team qualified
Team failed to qualify
Team suspended
Did not enter
Not a FIFA member.
A total of 48 teams qualified for the final tournament. In addition to Qatar, who qualified automatically as the host nation, the other 47 teams qualified from six separate continental competitions. The new expanded slot allocation per confederation was approved by the FIFA Council meeting held on 15 May 2024:[20]
- AFC (Asia): 9 (including the hosts Qatar)
- CAF (Africa): 10
- CONCACAF (North America, Central America and the Caribbean): 8
- CONMEBOL (South America): 7
- OFC (Oceania): 3
- UEFA (Europe): 11
El Salvador, Fiji, Republic of Ireland, Uganda and Zambia will make their debut in the tournament. Uganda will make their first appearance in a FIFA tournament.
Bolivia qualified for a FIFA tournament for the first time since the 1994 FIFA World Cup. After hosting the 2023 edition, Indonesia qualified on merit to a FIFA U-17 World Cup and any FIFA tournament for the first time.[a]
Ecuador, Iran, Poland and Spain failed to qualify having appeared at the 2023 edition.
Seeding
The 48 teams were drawn into twelve groups of four teams. The hosts Qatar were automatically seeded to Pot 1 and into the first position of Group A, while the remaining teams were seeded into pots based on their results in the last five FIFA U-17 World Cups (with more recent tournaments weighted more heavily, using a points-based ranking system as outlined by FIFA).[21]
Draw
The draw took place on 25 May 2025 in Doha, Qatar.[22] The draw began with teams from pot one being drawn first and placed in the first position of their groups (hosts Qatar automatically assigned to A1). The draw then proceeded with teams from pot 2, followed by pot 3 and pot 4, with each team drawn into one of the positions within their group. No group could contain more than one team from the same confederation.[21]
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Group stage
 |
Tiebreakers
Group A
First match(es) will be played: 3 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Aspire Zone (Pitch 1), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 2), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 1), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 2), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 1), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 2), Al Rayyan
Group B
First match(es) will be played: 3 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Aspire Zone (Pitch 5), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 6), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 5), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 6), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 5), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 6), Al Rayyan
Group C
First match(es) will be played: 3 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Aspire Zone (Pitch 3), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 4), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 3), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 4), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 3), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 4), Al Rayyan
Group D
First match(es) will be played: 3 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Aspire Zone (Pitch 7), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 8), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 7), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 8), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 7), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 8), Al Rayyan
Group E
First match(es) will be played: 4 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Aspire Zone (Pitch 1), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 2), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 1), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 2), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 1), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 2), Al Rayyan
Group F
First match(es) will be played: 4 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Aspire Zone (Pitch 5), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 6), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 5), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 6), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 5), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 6), Al Rayyan
Group G
First match(es) will be played: 4 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Aspire Zone (Pitch 3), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 4), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 3), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 4), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 3), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 4), Al Rayyan
Group H
First match(es) will be played: 4 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Aspire Zone (Pitch 7), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 8), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 7), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 8), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 7), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 8), Al Rayyan
Group I
First match(es) will be played: 5 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Aspire Zone (Pitch 1), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 2), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 1), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 2), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 1), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 2), Al Rayyan
Group J
First match(es) will be played: 5 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Aspire Zone (Pitch 5), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 6), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 5), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 6), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 5), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 6), Al Rayyan
Group K
First match(es) will be played: 5 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Aspire Zone (Pitch 3), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 4), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 3), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 4), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 3), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 4), Al Rayyan
Group L
First match(es) will be played: 5 November 2025. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Aspire Zone (Pitch 7), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 8), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 7), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 8), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 7), Al Rayyan
Aspire Zone (Pitch 8), Al Rayyan
Ranking of third-placed teams
First match(es) will be played: 3 November 2025. Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: Qualified teams tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Qualified teams tiebreakers
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Knockout stage
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In the knockout stage, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, no extra time shall be played and the winner shall be determined by a penalty shoot-out.[10]
The bracket will be decided by means of a ranking based on the standings of all teams in the group stage. Teams from the same group cannot meet in the Round of 32.
Ranking of qualified teams
- Group winners
Group winners will be seeded based on performance in the group stage.
First match(es) will be played: 3 November 2025. Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: Qualified teams tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Qualified teams tiebreakers
- Group runners-up
Group runners-up teams will be seeded based on performance in the group stage.
First match(es) will be played: 3 November 2025. Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: Qualified teams tiebreakers
Rules for classification: Qualified teams tiebreakers
- Third-placed teams
Bracket
| Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||||
| 1st-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 8th-ranked third place | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 73 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 88 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4th-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5th-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 89 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 96 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 8th-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1st-ranked third place | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 80 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 81 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 9th-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 12th-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 97 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 100 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4th-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5th-ranked third place | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 76 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 85 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1st-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
| 8th-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 92 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 93 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5th-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4th-ranked third place | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 77 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 84 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 12th-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 9th-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 101 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 102 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 7th-ranked third place | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 74 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 87 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6th-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 90 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 95 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 7th-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd-ranked third place | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 79 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 82 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 10th-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 11th-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 98 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 99 | Third place | |||||||||||||||||
| 3rd-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6th-ranked third place | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 75 | Losers of Match 101 | |||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 86 | Losers of Match 102 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2nd-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
| 7th-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 91 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 94 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6th-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd-ranked third place | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 78 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winners of Match 83 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 11th-ranked group winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 10th-ranked runners-up | ||||||||||||||||||
Round of 32
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Third place playoff
Aspire Zone (Pitch 7), Al Rayyan
Final
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Marketing
Emblem
The official emblem was revealed on 12 May 2025.[22]
See also
Notes
- In the 1938 FIFA World Cup, the then-Dutch East Indies replaced Japan who withdrew; in 1979 Indonesia U-20 team played at the FIFA World Youth Championship as the second Asian team, replacing three 1978 AFC Youth Championship semi-finalists who forfeited.
- ^ There will be eight pitches available plus the Khalifa International Stadium within the Aspire Zone for nine pitches in total for the tournament.
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References
External links
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