48 countries qualify for the tournament and the draw will take place on May 21
FIFA and the Local Organizing Committee for Football Events announced that the U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 will be held from November 19 to December 13.
This prestigious tournament for the junior category returns to Qatar, in the second of five consecutive editions that the country will host annually until 2029. After the historic edition of 2025, which witnessed Qatar hosting the first tournament in the history of FIFA with the participation of 48 teams, this year’s edition continues to adopt the expanded system, as it welcomes future stars to compete for the title.
It is scheduled that 48 countries will qualify for the tournament, with the final draw ceremony taking place on May 21 in the Swiss city of Zurich. The matches will be held at the Aspire Zone Competition Complex, which will once again be transformed into a vibrant center that brings together fans and players alike.
The central hosting system formed a fundamental pillar of the fans’ experience during the 2025 edition, as more than 197,460 fans attended 104 matches held over 15 days of competition. 130 scouts from the world’s leading clubs also benefited from the close-spaced nature of the tournament, allowing them to track promising talent in one place.
After the 2025 edition provided a launching pad for a number of rising stars, including Egyptian Hamza Abdel Karim, Malian Seydou Dembélé, Belgians Jesse Bisio and Nathan De Cat, and Italian Samuele Ignacio, attention is now turning to the next generation of talent in the 2026 edition.
The final match of the tournament is scheduled to be held at Khalifa International Stadium, which witnessed the Portuguese national team winning the title of the last edition in front of 38,901 fans.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of its opening in 1976, and it is considered one of the most prominent landmarks of the country’s sporting heritage, as it hosted many major sporting events, including matches from the historic FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The stadium will also host the 2026 Emir Cup final on May 9.
