48 teams from across the globe are set to compete for the prestigious trophy
With less than 10 days to go until the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026, participating teams have begun arriving in Doha, Qatar. A total of 48 teams will compete for the coveted trophy across 104 matches held from 19 November to 13 December.
Saudi Arabia, Cameroon, China, New Caledonia, Honduras, New Zealand, Vietnam, Republic of Korea, and Costa Rica, are amongst teams that have already arrived, with more making their way in the coming days.
This is the second of five consecutive editions Qatar will hostthrough 2029, featuring the expanded 48-team format introduced last year. Seven teams will make their historic debut in the competition: Greece, Montenegro, Mozambique, Romania, Serbia, Tanzania, and Vietnam. China PR will also return to the FIFA U-17 World Cup after a 21-year absence.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 will take place at the Competition Complex in Aspire Zone, transforming the venue into a vibrant football hub with up to eight matches a day during the group stage and Round of 32. The tournament’s unique centralised format proved to be a success in 2025, particularly for international scouts, who were able to observe emergingtalents from a single venue.
Hosts Qatar will play their first match of the tournament, against Panama on Thursday, 19
November, 6:30pm in Aspire Zone. The Final will take place at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on 13 December, 7pm.
