The 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup will be the 19th edition of the biennial international men’s youth football tournament contested by the under-17 national teams of the member associations of FIFA.
It will be held in Indonesia from the 10th of November to the 2nd of December 2023.
FootballOrbit brings you all you need to know about the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The 2023 edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup marks the return of the tournament after a four-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing FIFA to cancel the 2021 edition.
Brazil are currently the defending champions, having won their fourth title in 2019.
Nigeria are the most successful nation at the tournament, having won it a record 5 times. But the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria did not qualify for this year’s competition, after crashing out at the quarterfinals of the U-17 AFCON.
Host selection for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup
Peru were announced as the 2021 U-17 World Cup hosts following a FIFA Council meeting on 24 October 2019 in Shanghai, China.
After the 2021 edition was cancelled, Peru was awarded the hosting rights of the next edition in 2023.
However, after extensive discussions between the Peruvian Football Federation and FIFA on the hosting suitability of Peru caused by its infrastructural defects, Peru withdrew as hosts on the 3rd of April 2023, with FIFA announcing an immediate opening of a replacement hosting rights tender.
On the 23rd of June 2023, FIFA officially appointed Indonesia as the new host, believed to have been in compensation for the loss of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup hosting rights which were given to Argentina after Indonesia took issue with the Israeli team in that tournament.
Indonesia will be playing at the tournament for the first time ever.
It will also be the first time that the country will host a FIFA tournament and the first time that the FIFA U-17 World Cup will be held in Southeast Asia.
Moreso, it will be the first time a FIFA tournament will be held in the region since the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Thailand.
Also, it will be the sixth time that the FIFA U-17 World Cup has been played in Asia.
Venues for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup
Eight stadiums will be hosting the tournament, across seven Indonesian cities.
Six of these stadiums, Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (Jakarta), Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium (Surabaya), Jalak Harupat Stadium (Bandung), Manahan Stadium (Surakarta/Solo), Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium (Bali), and Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium (Palembang) were chosen for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup when Indonesia were eligible to be the host.
Another two additional stadiums were Jakarta International Stadium (Jakarta) and Pakansari Stadium (Pakansari).
Both the semifinal and final matches would be played at the Manahan Stadium.
Teams at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup
A total of 24 teams qualified for the final tournament. Indonesia, the host team along with 23 other teams qualified from six separate continental competitions.
Indonesia will make its debut at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in style by hosting the latest edition of the tournament, in an event that will demonstrate the country’s passion and spirit on the world stage.
The Young Garuda are flying the flag for a football-loving nation, as a FIFA competition comes to Indonesia for the very first time.
Four previous winners have qualified to return to 2023’s tournament — including reigning champions Brazil — as 24 exciting teams battle it out to be crowned the best of the world’s rising stars.
Russia have not qualified for the tournament, having been banned from competing at the Under-17 European Championship, the competition from which the five European teams secured their qualification. The ban was as one of the effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Format of the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup
Group Stage
The 24 participating teams have been divided into six groups, each comprising of four teams.
Group A: Indonesia, Ecuador, Panama, Morocco.
Group B: Spain, Canada, Mali, Uzbekistan.
Group C: Brazil, Iran, New Caledonia, England
Group D: Japan, Poland, Argentina, Senegal.
Group E: France, Burkina Faso, South Korea, USA.
Group F: Mexico, Germany, Venezuela, New Zealand.
Knockout Stage
Six group winners and six runners-up advance to the knockout stage along with the four best third-placed teams from the six groups.
In the round of 16, the four third-placed teams would be matched with the winners of groups A, B, C, and D.
The specific match-ups involving the third-placed teams depend on which four third-placed teams qualified for the Round of 16, though.
In the knockout stage, if a match is level at the end of 90 minutes of normal playing time, the match would be directly decided by a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner; no extra time would be played.
Officials for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup
A total of 18 refereeing trios (a referee and two assistant referees), 3 support referees, and 18 video assistant referees were appointed for the tournament.
