FIFA confirms dates as race for U-17 Women's World Cup tickets begins
FIFA has officially announced that the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will be staged in Morocco from 17 October to 7 November, setting the stage for another global showcase of emerging women’s football talent.
The confirmation came during the FIFA Council meeting on Thursday, 19 March, as Morocco continues its historic run as host nation. The North African country is in the midst of an unprecedented five-year hosting cycle, having begun in 2025 and set to continue through to 2029.
The last edition in Rabat saw North Korea underline their dominance at this level, defeating the Netherlands 3–0 in the final to clinch a record-extending fourth title.
For Nigeria, the 2025 campaign ended in disappointment. The Flamingos who famously secured bronze in India 2022 were eliminated in the Round of 16 after a heavy 4–0 defeat to Italy and will now be looking to return stronger in the upcoming qualifiers.
As hosts, Morocco secure automatic qualification, while the remaining spots will be shared across the confederations. Africa and Europe will each produce five representatives, Asia, North and Central America, and South America will each send four teams, with Oceania contributing two.
Attention now shifts to the qualification series across the globe, where nations will battle for a place at Morocco 2026. Africa’s journey, coordinated by CAF, begins with the first round scheduled from 10 to 19 April, before the final phase from 3 to 12 July, where four teams will join the host nation.
Elsewhere, the CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship is set for 16 to 22 March, while South America’s CONMEBOL U-17 Women’s Championship will run from 22 April to 16 May. Asia’s contenders will emerge from the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup between 1 and 17 May, with Europe’s representatives to be decided at the UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship from 4 to 17 May.
With the timeline now clear, the road to Morocco 2026 is officially underway, one that will test the next generation of stars across continents, all chasing a place on football’s global youth stage.
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