Softfootball can confirm that three FIFA youth tournaments have been officially scheduled for 2026, continuing FIFA’s global youth football calendar across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026 will be hosted by Poland and is scheduled to run from 5 September to 27 September 2026, bringing together the best young female talents from around the world.
In Africa, Morocco has been selected to host the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2026, which is set to kick off in October 2026. This decision has generated mixed reactions, especially following Morocco’s recent hosting of WAFCON 2024 and AFCON 2025.
Meanwhile, the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup 2026 will take place in Qatar, scheduled from October to November 2026, further cementing Qatar’s growing role in global football hosting duties.
Softfootball has gathered that concerns have already been raised regarding the allocation of hosting rights. Nigeria Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala has previously expressed dissatisfaction over what she described as a repeated preference for Morocco in hosting major African and FIFA tournaments.
Despite the debates, FIFA maintains that the host selections align with infrastructure readiness and long-term football development goals, as anticipation builds toward an action-packed 2026 youth football calendar.
