FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025: What to know about the tournament

The next generation of football stars will showcase their talent on the biggest stage when the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 kicks off in Qatar on Monday.

With an expanded field of 48 teams, the tournament is set to deliver a spectacle unlike any before.
Here’s everything you need to know about the showpiece event:

What are the key dates?
The FIFA U-17 World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 3, with two matches – South Africa vs Bolivia and Costa Rica vs the United Arab Emirates – kicking off the tournament.

The final will be played on November 27, marking the conclusion of the 104-match tournament.

Group stage: November 3 to 11
Round of 32: November 14 and 15
Round of 16: November 18
Quarterfinals: November 21
Semifinals: November 24
Third-place playoff: November 27
Final: November 27
Where is the tournament being held?
Qatar will host five consecutive U-17 World Cups, starting this year.

At the 2025 edition, all matches up until the final will take place across eight pitches at the Aspire Zone complex in Al Rayyan, about 9km (5.6 miles) from the centre of the capital, Doha.

The final will be played at Khalifa International Stadium, the 45,857-capacity venue that hosted six matches during the men’s FIFA 2022 World Cup. Built in 1976, it is one of Qatar’s oldest stadiums.

This year’s tournament marks the third time the U-17 World Cup has been held in the Arab world, after Egypt hosted in 1997 and the United Arab Emirates in 2013.