FIFA has confirmed that the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will be staged in Morocco from October 17 to November 7, setting the calendar for the next edition of the youth tournament.
The world football governing body made the announcement on Thursday through its official 𝕏 account, stating, “Save the date. This year’s #U17WWC in Morocco will take place from 17 October to 7 November.”
The tournament will be the second time Morocco hosts the expanded 24-team competition, following the 2025 edition.
The hosting arrangement forms part of a multi-year agreement approved by the FIFA Council in March 2024, granting Morocco rights to stage the competition annually from 2025 to 2029. The decision positioned the country as the first in Africa to host the women’s youth global tournament on a sustained basis.
A total of 24 teams from six confederations will compete at the finals. Africa will be represented by five nations, with Morocco qualifying automatically as hosts. The remaining four African slots will be determined through qualification rounds scheduled to run between May and July 2026.
FIFA’s announcement comes against the backdrop of controversy in African football involving the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the outcome of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Ashenews reports that CAF upheld an appeal by the Moroccan Football Federation, stripping Senegal of the title and awarding it to Morocco via a 3-0 forfeit on March 18. The ruling followed a disrupted final in January 2025, when Senegal players briefly walked off the pitch in protest over a late penalty decision.
CAF cited breaches of its regulations under Articles 82 and 84, overturning Senegal’s extra-time victory. The decision has drawn strong reaction in Senegal, with the government calling for an independent investigation into alleged bias and corruption within the continental body.
