2025 FIFA U17 World Cup: Qatar showcasing a blueprint for expanded FIFA tournaments?

The 2025 edition of the FIFA U17 World Cup is revolutionary for multiple reasons. But one of the most notable factor is the participation of 48 teams in the tournament, making it the first 48-team World Cup across any level or category so far. 

The 2025 edition is being hosted in Qatar who will also play hosts to the next four editions till 2029. 

With 48 teams playing in the World Cup, the tournament will have a whopping 104 matches which is mind-boggling when you consider the fact that a 32-team World Cup (which has been the norm so far) would have had only 64 games. 

And Qatar have acquitted themselves well, as usual, just like how they did during the 2022 FIFA World Cup which was a resounding success.

A 48-team World Cup has its own scheduling and logistical challenges. And it is not surprising. 

Organising a total of 104 matches for a tournament is no joke. When you add in the fact that the tournament is a FIFA World Cup which requires world-class facilities and amenities, the weight of the task increases manifold. 

But Qatar, who have already proved themselves as world class organisers of sporting events, have risen to the occasion once again. 

The 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar will see 104 games held across just 25 days. The group stages alone featured 72 matches in just nine days, with as many as eight matches held in one day. And Qatar must be applauded for doing what many would've thought was impossible at first.

One of the key reasons why Qatar were able to put together a 48-team FIFA U17 World Cup and overcome the scheduling and logistical nightmares that come with it is their existing world-class facilities. 

The 2022 FIFA World Cup saw Qatar revamp and build world class stadiums and facilities. There was also the Aspire Zone competition complex which has a multitude of training facilities and FIFA-level pitches. Not to mention residential and medical facilities that are top notch. 

The entire FIFA U17 World Cup 2025 is being held inside the Aspire Zone, with eight pitches which are situated right next to each other hosting all the games of the tournament bar the final which will be held at the Khalifa International Stadium which is also situated inside the Aspire Zone. 

What it has meant is that the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup, currently at the knockout stage, is an ultra-compact tournament which has completely eliminated the need for teams and players to travel long distances (even across regions and cities at times). 

The ultra compactness means scheduling can be done in an easier way, without having to think about fatigue for players from travelling and shifting. And for that to happen, a facility like the Aspire Zone which was inaugurated in the early 2000s, has been key.

HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairman, said: "We are proud to host the first-ever 48-team FIFA tournament, which will showcase football’s exceptional emerging talent and celebrate the sport’s power in uniting people from all around the world.

"The FIFA U-17 World Cup will be another chapter in our rich football legacy and will further our position as a global sporting destination that constantly sets new standards in player and fan experiences," he added.

And that is exactly what has been happening. Apart from the players' point of view where they do not have to worry about travel and shifting bases constantly between matches, fans have also benefitted. 

Fans have been able to enjoy matches at one complex, rather travel across the region to follow their team. And Qatar's Day Pass ticket concept has been another gamechanger for fans who've been able to enjoy multiple matches in a day and fill their appetite for high-quality youth football.

Not to mention the fact that Qatar have also organised a fan zone inside the complex which has entertainment, food, shopping and other avenues which enhances the fan experience at the FIFA U17 World Cup 2025.

Qatar's blueprint for the 48-team FIFA U17 World Cup has been nothing short of a revelation. 

The need for travel has been completely avoided. So has the need for shifting bases and adjusting to different climates and conditions. Football has been paramount for players and fans who've been able to enjoy the fervour the game brings without worrying about other parameters like travel, flights and accommodation.

The 2025 edition has definitely shown that Qatar's blueprint is a great way to organise 48-team events, especially the U17 World Cup.