FIFA has confirmed that the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will be held in Morocco from October 17 to November 7, officially setting the timeline for the next edition of the competition.
The announcement was made on Thursday via FIFA’s official account on X, with the message: “Save the date. This year’s #U17WWC in Morocco will take place from 17 October to 7 November.”
The tournament will mark the second time Morocco hosts the expanded 24-team event, following the 2025 edition.
This arrangement is part of a multi-year agreement approved by the FIFA Council in March 2024, granting Morocco the rights to stage the tournament annually from 2025 through 2029—making it the first African nation to host the women’s youth global competition on a sustained basis.
A total of 24 teams from six confederations will participate in the finals. Africa will have five representatives, including Morocco as the host nation, while the remaining four spots will be decided through qualification matches scheduled between May and July 2026.
The announcement comes amid controversy in African football involving the Confederation of African Football over the outcome of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
CAF recently upheld an appeal by Morocco’s football federation, stripping Senegal of the title and awarding it to Morocco via a 3-0 forfeit on March 18. The decision followed a disrupted final in January 2025, when Senegal players briefly walked off the pitch in protest over a late penalty call.
Citing violations of its regulations under Articles 82 and 84, CAF overturned Senegal’s extra-time victory. The ruling has sparked backlash in Senegal, where authorities have called for an independent probe into alleged bias and corruption within the continental football body.