The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026 is the 12th edition of the premier global youth tournament for women’s national teams under age 20. Poland hosts from 5 to 27 September 2026 across four cities, featuring 24 teams in the expanded format first used in 2024.

Defending champions Korea DPR (North Korea) return as joint-record holders with three titles alongside the United States and Germany. The USA, three-time champions, compete in Group D against Japan, New Zealand, and Italy.

This guide covers dates, groups, venues, the USA’s path, history, and practical details for fans in the United States.

When and Where Is the Tournament?

Dates: 5–27 September 2026 Host country: Poland Host cities and stadiums:

• Łódź – Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź (capacity approx. 18,000)
• Katowice – Arena Katowice (approx. 15,000)
• Bielsko-Biała – Stadion Miejski Bielsko-Biała (approx. 15,300)
• Sosnowiec – Arena Sosnowiec / Zagłębie Sports Park (approx. 11,600)

The opening match is Poland vs. Argentina in Katowice on 5 September. The final is scheduled for 27 September in Łódź.

Poland previously hosted the men’s U-20 World Cup in 2019 and is staging its first FIFA women’s tournament.

Tournament Format

24 teams are drawn into six groups of four. The top two from each group plus the four best third-placed teams advance to the round of 16. Knockout rounds then proceed through quarterfinals, semifinals, a third-place match, and the final. Extra time and penalties decide knockout matches if needed.

This is the second consecutive edition with 24 teams (expanded from 16 in 2024).

Qualification and Slot Allocation

Slots remained the same as 2024:

• AFC (Asia): 4
• CAF (Africa): 4
• Concacaf: 4
• CONMEBOL (South America): 4
• UEFA (Europe): 6 (including hosts Poland)
• OFC (Oceania): 2

Debutants include hosts Poland, Benin, Ecuador, New Caledonia, Portugal, and Tanzania. Germany failed to qualify for the first time.

The 24 Qualified Teams and Groups

Group A: Poland (hosts), Mexico, Argentina, Benin Group B: Brazil, England, Canada, Tanzania Group C: France, Korea Republic (South Korea), Ghana, Ecuador Group D: Japan, USA, New Zealand, Italy Group E: Korea DPR (North Korea), Colombia, Costa Rica, Portugal Group F: Spain, Nigeria, China PR, New Caledonia

The draw took place on 15 May 2026 in Łódź.

USA Group D Schedule (local times / approximate U.S. Eastern)

• Sunday, 6 September: USA vs. Italy – Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź (Łódź), 18:00 local (approx. 12:00 ET)
• Wednesday, 9 September: USA vs. Japan – Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź (Łódź), 18:00 local (approx. 9:00 or 12:00 ET depending on exact listing; confirm closer to event)
• Saturday, 12 September: USA vs. New Zealand – Arena Sosnowiec (Sosnowiec), 15:00 local (approx. 9:00 ET)

Exact U.S. broadcast times and channels will be confirmed closer to the tournament. Check official U.S. Soccer and FIFA channels for updates.

READ MORE- France vs Morocco World Cup H2H

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Group Stage

Saturday, 5 September

• 15:00 | Arena Katowice | Poland vs Argentina (Match 1)
• 15:00 | Stadion Miejski Bielsko-Biała | Brazil vs Tanzania (Match 3)
• 18:00 | Arena Katowice | Mexico vs Benin (Match 2)
• 18:00 | Stadion Miejski Bielsko-Biała | Canada vs England (Match 4)

Sunday, 6 September

• 15:00 | Arena Sosnowiec | France vs Korea Republic (Match 5)
• 15:00 | Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź | Japan vs New Zealand (Match 7)
• 18:00 | Arena Sosnowiec | Ecuador vs Ghana (Match 6)
• 18:00 | Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź | USA vs Italy (Match 8)

Monday, 7 September

• 15:00 | Arena Sosnowiec | Korea DPR vs Portugal (Match 9)
• 15:00 | Arena Sosnowiec / assigned venue | New Caledonia vs China PR (Match 12)
• 18:00 | Arena Sosnowiec | Costa Rica vs Colombia (Match 10)
• 18:00 | Arena Sosnowiec / assigned venue | Spain vs Nigeria (Match 11)

Tuesday, 8 September

• 15:00 | Arena Katowice | Benin vs Argentina (Match 14)
• 15:00 | Stadion Miejski Bielsko-Biała | Brazil vs Canada (Match 15)
• 18:00 | Arena Katowice | Poland vs Mexico (Match 13)
• 18:00 | Stadion Miejski Bielsko-Biała | England vs Tanzania (Match 16)

Wednesday, 9 September

• 15:00 | Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź | Italy vs New Zealand (Match 20)
• 15:00 | Assigned venue | Ghana vs Korea Republic (Match 18)
• 18:00 | Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź | Japan vs USA (Match 19)
• 18:00 | Assigned venue | France vs Ecuador (Match 17)

Thursday, 10 September

• 15:00 | Assigned venue | Korea DPR vs Costa Rica (Match 21)
• 18:00 | Assigned venue | Colombia vs Portugal (Match 22)
• 15:00 / 18:00 | Assigned venues | Remaining Group F matches (Spain/New Caledonia, China PR/Nigeria)

Friday, 11 September / Saturday, 12 September / Sunday, 13 September Final group matches (Matchday 3):

• Group A: Benin vs Poland, Argentina vs Mexico
• Group B: England vs Brazil, Tanzania vs Canada
• Group C: Korea Republic vs Ecuador, Ghana vs France
• Group D: New Zealand vs USA, Italy vs Japan
• Group E: Portugal vs Costa Rica, Colombia vs Korea DPR
• Group F: China PR vs Spain, Nigeria vs New Caledonia

(Exact times and venues for Matchday 3 follow the pattern of earlier days; most are 15:00 or 18:00 at the four host stadiums.)

Knockout Stage

Round of 16 – Wednesday 16 September & Thursday 17 September

• Match 37: 2A vs 2C – Arena Sosnowiec (15:00)
• Match 38: 1B vs 3A/C/D – Arena Katowice (15:00)
• Match 40: 1D vs 3B/E/F – Arena Sosnowiec (18:30)
• Match 44: 1F vs 2E – Arena Katowice (18:30)
• Additional Round of 16 matches (1A vs 3C/D/E, 1C vs 3A/B/F, 1E vs 2D, 2B vs 2F) on 16/17 September at the host venues.

Quarter-finals – Saturday 19 September & Sunday 20 September

• Matches 45–48 involving winners of the Round of 16 (venues include Arena Sosnowiec and Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź).

Semi-finals – Tuesday 22 September / Wednesday 23 September

• Matches 49 and 50.

Third-place match (Bronze Final)

• Match 51 | 18:00 | 26 or 27 September | Venue TBA (likely Łódź or one of the southern venues)

Final

• Match 52 | 18:00 | Sunday, 27 September 2026 | Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź, Łódź

USA U-20 Women’s National Team Squad Status

The final 21-player roster for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland has not yet been announced.

Head coach Vicky Jepson is expected to name the official World Cup squad closer to the tournament (typically 2–4 weeks before the September 5 start).

Most Recent Roster (August 2026 Training Camp)

This was the final camp before the World Cup selection. It took place in Fayetteville, Georgia, and included friendlies against England and Colombia.

Goalkeepers (3)

• Caroline Birkel (Stanford)
• Evan O’Steen (Seattle Reign FC)
• Kealey Titmuss (Penn State)

Defenders (9)

• Aven Alvarez (UNC)
• Ella Bard (Louisville)
• Lizzie Boamah (Stanford)
• Pearl Cecil (Virginia)
• Emma Johnson (Penn State)
• Zoe Matthews (Unattached)
• Jaida McGrew (Florida State)
• Hope Munson (UNC)
• Katie Scott (Kansas City Current)

Midfielders (6)

• Sofia Cedeno (Seattle Reign FC)
• Addison Halpern (Virginia)
• Keira Kemmerley (Northwestern)
• Peyton McGovern (Florida State)
• Y-Lan Nguyen (Stanford)
• Nyanya Touray (Florida State)

Forwards (6)

• Alex Buck (Washington)
• Onyeka Gamero (Bay FC)
• Micayla Johnson (Chicago Stars FC)
• Lily Joseph (Notre Dame)
• Kylie Maxwell (Wake Forest)
• Sealey Strawn (UNC)

Key Notes

• Players must be born on or after January 1, 2006 to be eligible.
• The squad mixes college players and NWSL professionals.
• Several players have previous FIFA youth World Cup experience (U-17 or U-20).
• Earlier 2026 camps (June in Spain, April, February) featured overlapping names plus additional players such as Kennedy Fuller, Ainsley McCammon, Linda Ullmark, Emeri Adames, Kimmi Ascanio, and Melanie Barcenas.

How to Watch the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026 in the USA

As of early August 2026, the official U.S. broadcast and streaming rights for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (Poland, September 5–27) have not yet been fully announced.

Current Best Options & Expectations

Key History and Past Winners

The competition began as the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship in 2002 before becoming U-20 in 2006. It is held every two years.

Champions:

• United States: 2002, 2008, 2012 (3 titles)
• Germany: 2004, 2010, 2014 (3)
• Korea DPR: 2006, 2016, 2024 (3)
• Japan: 2018 (1)
• Spain: 2022 (1)

The USA finished third in 2024. Many senior stars, including players who later starred for the USWNT, gained experience at this level.

Why This Tournament Matters

It serves as a major development pathway. Young players gain high-level international experience, visibility to professional clubs (including NWSL pathways for Americans), and a platform that often precedes senior World Cup or Olympic careers. The expanded 24-team format increases opportunities for emerging nations while maintaining competitive balance among traditional powers.

Practical Information for Fans

Tickets: Available via the official FIFA ticketing platform (fifa.com/tickets). Categories start at relatively accessible prices in local currency; family and accessibility options exist. Visa presale occurred earlier; general sale is open.

How to follow / watch in the USA: Rights details for 2026 are typically finalized closer to the event. Previous editions have used a mix of FIFA+, linear networks, and streaming platforms. Monitor U.S. Soccer, FIFA.com, and major sports broadcasters for official announcements. Live scores, highlights, and updates will be available on FIFA platforms.

Travel notes: Matches are concentrated in southern and central Poland (Katowice/Sosnowiec area is close; Łódź is farther north; Bielsko-Biała is nearby to the south). Plan logistics accordingly if attending multiple games.

Recent context (as of early August 2026): A brief UEFA-FIFA dispute in late July over a proposed commercial structure raised questions about European participation. FIFA subsequently abandoned the contested proposal, and the Polish Football Association confirmed preparations were proceeding normally with no indicated withdrawals. The tournament is expected to run as scheduled.

What to Watch For

• Strong groups featuring traditional powers (Japan, Spain, Korea DPR, Brazil, USA, France, England).
• Debutants seeking breakthrough performances.
• USA’s balance of college and professional (NWSL) talent under head coach Vicky Jepson as of mid-2026 camps.
• High goal-scoring potential typical of youth tournaments and the pathway value for future senior stars.

Summary / Key Takeaways

• Poland hosts the 12th FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup from 5–27 September 2026.
• 24 teams in six groups; knockout stage begins with the round of 16.
• USA is in Group D with Japan, New Zealand, and Italy; opens against Italy on 6 September.
• Korea DPR are defending champions; USA, Germany, and Korea DPR share the most titles (three each).
• Four host cities: Łódź, Katowice, Bielsko-Biała, and Sosnowiec.
• Official information, tickets, and schedule updates: FIFA.com.

This tournament offers an early look at the next generation of women’s soccer talent worldwide. Bookmark official FIFA and U.S. Soccer channels for results, squads, and viewing details as September approaches.

READ MORE- Is Neymar Playing in the World Cup 2030

FAQ

When is the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026? 5–27 September 2026 in Poland.

Who is hosting? Poland (first time hosting a FIFA women’s tournament).

How many teams are participating? 24 teams from all six confederations.

What group is the USA in? Group D with Japan, New Zealand, and Italy.

When does the USA play? 6 September vs. Italy, 9 September vs. Japan, 12 September vs. New Zealand (local times; convert for U.S. zones).

Who are the defending champions? Korea DPR (North Korea), winners in 2024.

Where can I buy tickets? Official FIFA ticketing site: fifa.com/tickets.

Has the tournament format changed? It expanded to 24 teams starting in 2024 (from 16).

Which countries have won the most titles? United States, Germany, and Korea DPR with three each.

Are there debutants? Yes, including Poland, Benin, Ecuador, New Caledonia, Portugal, and Tanzania.

Where is the final? Łódź on 27 September 2026.

How does qualification work? Continental tournaments allocate slots; hosts qualify automatically.

Will there be a third-place match? Yes, as standard in the knockout stage.

What is the age eligibility? Players born on or after 1 January 2006 (confirm exact FIFA regulations for the edition).

Where can U.S. fans watch? Check official announcements from U.S. Soccer and FIFA closer to the event for broadcast and streaming rights.

Is Germany participating? No; they failed to qualify for the first time.

What are the host stadiums? Stadion ŁKS (Łódź), Arena Katowice, Stadion Miejski Bielsko-Biała, and Arena Sosnowiec.

How many matches will there be? 52 matches total.

Who has the most appearances historically among strong teams? Teams like the USA, Brazil, Nigeria, and Japan have strong participation records.

Is the tournament every two years? Yes, it is a biennial event.