Qatar is preparing to welcome the FIFA U-17 World Cup for a second straight year, with the tournament’s group stage now set after the official draw took place in Zurich, Switzerland on Wednesday, May 21. The competition is scheduled to return to Doha from November 19 to December 13, bringing another wave of youth football to the Gulf state.
Built on the expanded 48-team format introduced in 2025, the draw placed the qualified sides into 12 groups of four. The arrangement sets up a full slate of intriguing matchups, marking the second of five consecutive editions Qatar will host, running through 2029.
As hosts, Qatar landed in Group A alongside Panama, Egypt and Greece. Several teams with strong youth programmes are returning to Doha, including Italy, Brazil, Morocco, Japan and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Montenegro, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Vietnam will be appearing in the competition for the first time.
Delivering his remarks virtually during the ceremony, Jassim Al Jassim, the CEO of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 Local Organising Committee, highlighted Qatar’s intent to build on the momentum created by the landmark tournament staged in 2025.
Al Jassim pointed to the impact of last year’s event, when Qatar hosted the first-ever 48-team FIFA tournament, welcoming 1,008 young players. He noted that more than 197,000 fans turned up for 104 matches across eight pitches at the Aspire Zone complex, helping create a festival-like atmosphere. He also cited the presence of 130 scouts from leading clubs, who attended to watch the next generation of talent, and he praised the platform created for emerging stars such as Hamza Abdelkarim, Mateus Mide, Anísio Cabral and Samuele Inacio.
“This year, we build on everything we learned in 2025 to deliver an even greater experience for players, fans, and the global football community. Congratulations to all qualified teams — we look forward to welcoming you to Doha,” Al Jassim added.
With 46 of the 48 participants already secured, the final two spots will be decided on May 23. That will be when the CAF play-off matches finish at the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The remaining places will be awarded to the winners of the ties between Ethiopia and Mozambique, and between Uganda and Ghana.
All games will be staged at the Competition Complex in Aspire Zone. Qatar’s centralised hosting model, which was a standout feature of the 2025 edition, is expected to keep matchdays flowing by allowing fans and visiting scouts to attend multiple fixtures in a single day.
The tournament final is set for December 13 at Khalifa International Stadium. The venue will also mark its 50th anniversary this year, having opened in 1976, and it previously hosted matches during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Group stage draw
Group A: Qatar; Panama; Egypt; Greece
Group B: Korea Republic; CAF 1; New Caledonia; Ecuador
Group C: Argentina; Australia; CAF 2; Denmark
Group D: France; Haiti; Saudi Arabia; Uruguay
Group E: Italy; Jamaica; Cote D’Ivoire; Uzbekistan
Group F: Senegal; Croatia; Cuba; Tajikistan
Group G: Mali; New Zealand; Belgium; Vietnam
Group H: Spain; China; Fiji; Morocco
Group I: Brazil; Ireland; Tanzania; Costa Rica
Group J: USA; Montenegro; Chile; Algeria
Group K: Mexico; Romania; Cameroon; Venezuela
Group L: Japan; Colombia; Serbia; Honduras
