Full match schedule released for 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup: Qatar to take on Italy in tournament opener

Hosts Qatar will take on Italy in the tournament opener on 3 November. The tournament is slated to take place in Qatar from 3-27 November.

Qatar are in a group that also comprises Bolivia and South Africa. The tournament features 48 teams for the first time ever, mirroring the new format of the men's FIFA World Cup.

The tournament will feature 104 matches over a period of 24 days.

Interestingly, from the 2025 edition, the FIFA U17 World Cup becomes an annual event unlike its biennial format so far. And Qatar will be the hosts for the next five years, right from 2025 to 2029 edition.

The tournament will be hosted entirely across the Aspire Academy in Doha, known for its world class facilities and countless football pitches. Only the final will be hosted outside the academy.

Rashid Al Khater, Executive Director of Operations of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), said: "The tournament will be hosted in its entirety in the world-class Aspire Academy, with the final match to be held at Khalifa International Stadium, one of our historic Qatar 2022 venues. This will be more than just a football tournament, as fans will be treated to a festival-like atmosphere where they can enjoy a robust fan zone that meets all their needs as they take in some exciting football matches."

Alvaro Perez, head coach of the Qatar under-17 team, said: "Having the under-17 World Cup hosted in Qatar for five consecutive years provides young players with a wonderful opportunity to compete against the best teams in the world. This type of competition will have a great impact on the development of young players and will once again positively reflect Qatar’s ability to host mega sporting events."

There will be 12 groups in the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup, as detailed below:

Group A: Qatar, Italy, South Africa, Bolivia

Group B: Japan, Morocco New Caledonia, Portugal

Group C: Senegal, Croatia Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates

Group D: Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji

Group E: England, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt

Group F: Mexico, Korea, Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Switzerland

Group G: Germany, Colombia, Korea DPR, El Salvador

Group H: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Zambia

Group I: USA, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, Czechia

Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Republic of Ireland

Group K: France, Chile Canada, Uganda

Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia

The full schedule of the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup can be found here. The U17 World Cup will be followed by the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup as well in Qatar.