FIFA U17 World Cup 2026: 100 days to go as Qatar gears up to host second-successive youth WC

The 2025 edition, the first of the five U17 World Cups awarded to Qatar to host, was an unqualified success. The landmark tournament was the first-ever FIFA tournament to feature 48 teams and a prelude to the 48-team FIFA World Cup that was held in the US, Mexico and Canada earlier this year. 

With dedicated fan zones and match venues situated within the same area, the tournament witnessed plenty of footfall from fans eager to see the next generation of stars. Safe to say, it was a roaring success.

This year’s tournament will follow the same format and feature 48 teams, 104 matches with almost eight matches held in a day during the group stages.

After the 2025 edition saw the spotlight shine on several stars, all eyes will be on who the next breakout star will be when the 2026 edition kicks-off in Qatar. 

Interestingly, last year we saw the emergence of Egyptian forward and FC Barcelona player Hamza Abdelkarim who featured in the 2026 FIFA World Cup earlier this year after shining in Qatar last year. 

No doubt, the FIFA U17 World Cup has long served as a launching pad for many of football’s biggest stars. 

Qatar has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering world-class sporting events, thanks to the top class stadiums and related infrastructure which were also on show during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. 

Tickets for the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup will go on sale at a later date on www.roadtoqatar.qa . 

Just like the 2025 edition, this year’s tournament will also be held in the famous Aspire Zone Competition Complex in Qatar. It features multiple world class pitches, training complexes and the Khalifa International Stadium which will host the final.

In 2025 too, Khalifa International Stadium hosted the final where Portugal lifted the trophy last year in front of a crowd of 38,901 spectators. The stadium, which also hosted matches during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its inauguration in 1976.

All 104 matches of the tournament will be held in the Aspire Zone complex and fans can look forward to an exciting festival-like atmosphere under the theme of TMRW’s GOAT. The theme celebrates young stars as well as exploring a number of cultural and entertainment activities taking place at the Fan Zone.