Fifa confirmed this Wednesday the holding of the second consecutive annual edition of the men’s Mundial Sub-17 at Catar. The international grassroots tournament will be played between November 19th and December 13th, 2026. The decision by football’s highest governing body comes after a period of monitoring security conditions at Oriente Médio. The official draw for the group stage brackets should take place in the coming months to organize the schedule for the 48 participating teams.
The official announcement ends speculation about possible changes of headquarters due to the recent geopolitical scenario in the region. The Arab country’s sports infrastructure is already prepared to receive athletes and foreign delegations. Esta is the second of five annual editions promised to Catar as part of a new organization model for the category adopted by the international federation. The strategic choice aims to take advantage of the stadiums and training centers used in the Copa of the 2022 Mundo.
Official Cronograma and format with 48 national teams
The competition will officially start on November 19, following the expanded model that allows 48 countries to participate. Esse expanded format seeks to increase the visibility of young talents from different continents and strengthen the development of grassroots football globally. Fifa established that the final will take place on December 13th, a Sunday, consolidating almost a month of intense disputes in Qatari territory.
Logistical preparations involve welcoming thousands of people, including members of technical committees, players and fans. The group draw is the next essential step for national federations to begin planning transport and accommodation. The entity has not yet detailed the exact date of the draw ceremony, but indicated that the event will respect the category’s technical ranking criteria.
Sedes concentrated in Aspire Zone and final in Rayán
The organization defined that almost all of the clashes will take place at Aspire Zone, a complex known as Ciudad Deportiva of Doha. The location offers cutting-edge technology and integrated training fields, facilitating the movement of teams during the qualifying phase and the knockout stage. The concentration of matches in a specific zone is a hallmark of Catar’s logistics for large events.
- Group stage and knockout games take place on Cidade Esportiva and Doha.
- Centros’s training camp will serve as the basis for the 48 selections.
- Khalifa’s Estádio Internacional will exclusively host the final match of the tournament.
- The capacity of the closing arena is approximately 45,857 spectators.
- The stadiums’ cooling system will guarantee the thermal comfort of athletes and the public.
Estádio Internacional of Khalifa, in Rayán, was the stage chosen for the big decision on December 13th. Inaugurado originally in 1976 and completely renovated in 2017, the venue has a history of hosting global athletics and football events. Last year, Seleção of Portugal lifted the trophy on this same lawn, becoming the first champion under the new system of annual editions in a fixed location at Catar.
Estabilidade of the tournament and maintenance of the sports calendar
The confirmation of Fifa brings security to the confederations competing for the continental places. The Sub-17 tournament has become an essential showcase for European and South American clubs looking to identify prospects ahead of the transition to professional football. Maintaining Catar as the venue reinforces the long-term agreement between Fifa and the local organizing committee, which holds the rights to hold the event until 2029.
Treinadores from base selections highlight that the predictability of dates helps in setting up call-up cycles. Atletas who currently stand out in regional competitions will have the opportunity to play in professional-level stadiums before they turn 18. The public expectation for the final at Khalifa is high, considering the growing interest in lower category competitions in the Asian market. The local government promised to maintain strict security protocols to guarantee the integrity of everyone involved in the sporting event.
The international federation also highlighted that monitoring of the climate of stability in the region will continue permanently. Apesar of recent diplomatic tensions, the technical assessment indicated that the guarantees offered by Catar are sufficient for the practice of the sport. The operational success of the previous edition served as the basis for the ratification of the 2026 plan. With confirmation, the qualifiers around the world gain new momentum to define who will be the 47 challengers who will join the host country in the search for the world title.
