Ahead of the FIFA U17 World Cup 2026, FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited Doha, Qatar, to inspect preparations and expressed confidence that the tournament would deliver competitive football while strengthening connections among footballing nations worldwide.

One of the highlights of this year's competition is the participation of eight teams making their tournament debuts: Greece, Montenegro, Mozambique, Romania, Serbia, Tanzania, Vietnam and the Dominican Republic.

Infantino emphasized that expanding the tournament and holding it annually would provide more national teams with opportunities to compete on the world stage.

He noted that the qualification process would also strengthen competition and create more opportunities for young players to gain international experience.

FIFA president expects unpredictable tournament

Infantino believes the 2026 tournament will be particularly difficult to predict, with debutant teams potentially producing unexpected results.

"The absence of Portugal, who won last year's tournament after a fantastic final against Austria, together with the arrival of so many debutant teams, shows just how unpredictable football can be," Infantino said. "It is very difficult to predict which team will reach the final and ultimately win the title."

The FIFA U17 World Cup 2026 will take place from November 19 to December 13, featuring 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four.

A total of 104 matches will be staged at the Aspire Zone sports complex in Al Rayyan, Doha, with the final scheduled for Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

Vietnam U17 prepare for historic World Cup debut

Vietnam's U17 national team has arrived in Qatar to complete its final preparations for the tournament.

Head coach Cristiano Roland has finalized his 21-player squad ahead of the team's opening match.

Vietnam will face Belgium on November 20, New Zealand on November 23 and Mali on November 26 in the group stage.

The top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stage.

The tournament marks Vietnam's first appearance at the FIFA U17 World Cup, offering its young players an opportunity to compete against international opposition on football's global stage.

Dai Nam