The 2026 U-17 World Cup will bring 48 nations together in Qatar, with Greece, Montenegro, Mozambique, Romania, Serbia, Tanzania and Vietnam all preparing to appear in the tournament’s final phase for the first time.
The seven teams will have their first opportunity to compete at this level against the leading sides in their age group.
China will also return to the U-17 World Cup after an absence of 21 years. The tournament is the second of five consecutive editions to be hosted by Qatar through to 2029, following the introduction of the 48-team format in 2025.
Most matches will be played at the Aspire Zone sporting complex in Doha. The centralised venue will host up to eight games per day during the group stage and the round of 32.
The arrangement is designed to simplify the running of the competition while also allowing international scouts and observers to watch several matches at the same location.
The first delegations to arrive in Doha include those from Saudi Arabia, Cameroon, China, New Caledonia, Honduras, New Zealand, Vietnam, South Korea and Costa Rica. The remaining teams are expected to arrive in the coming days.
As the host nation, Qatar will begin its campaign against Panama on 19 November. The match is scheduled for 18:30 at Aspire Zone.
The participating teams will then compete through the knockout stages before the tournament concludes on 13 December.
The final will be played at 19:00 at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, where the new world champions at under-17 level will be crowned.
