🏆 Morocco prepares for another U-17 Women’s World Cup
Football fans around the world are turning their attention to Morocco, which is preparing to host the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2026 for the second consecutive edition after staging the tournament in 2025.
The 10th edition of the competition will begin on October 17, 2026, with the final scheduled for November 7. The tournament will once again feature 24 national teams following the expansion introduced at the 2025 edition.
🇲🇦 Morocco drawn in Group A
Hosts Morocco have been drawn into Group A alongside New Zealand, Germany and Argentina, setting up a challenging group-stage campaign on home soil.
Group B features Korea DPR, Puerto Rico, Poland and Nigeria, while Group C includes Canada, Brazil, Norway and Kenya.
Group D consists of Japan, Zambia, France and Venezuela, while the United States, Samoa, Ghana and China PR make up Group E. Group F contains Spain, Mexico, Australia and Chile. The four additional African representatives secured their places after the continental qualifiers were completed in July.
🔥 Expanded 24-team global competition
The tournament features 24 teams divided into six groups of four, continuing the expanded format introduced in 2025.
The new format brings together several of the strongest youth women’s football nations alongside emerging teams looking to make their mark on the global stage.
⭐ How teams qualify for the knockout stage
The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 16, joined by the four best third-placed teams, creating a 16-team knockout bracket.
From that point onward, the competition will follow a single-elimination format, with teams needing to win every knockout match to reach the final and compete for the world title on November 7.
📍 Matches to be held in Rabat
The 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will be staged in Rabat, with matches through the semi-final stage taking place at the new Women’s Football Complex.
The bronze-medal match and the final will be played at the Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium, while the centralized tournament format will allow supporters to watch several matches during a single day across the complex’s four pitches.
🇲🇦 Morocco continues its hosting run
Morocco’s consecutive hosting of the tournament is part of FIFA’s plan for an annual U-17 Women’s World Cup, with the kingdom scheduled to host editions from 2025 through 2029.
The 2025 tournament was the first to feature 24 teams, with Korea DPR retaining the title. The defending champions will now look to make history by winning the trophy for a third consecutive edition.
As the October 17 kickoff approaches, attention will increasingly focus on the young talents arriving in Morocco, with the tournament offering a major global platform for the next generation of women’s football stars.
Who do you expect to be the strongest contender for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup? Share your prediction.
