Doha, Qatar: The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 has reached the end of its group stage, which brought football fans together for a spectacular showcase of emerging talent from across the globe. Taking place at the state-of-the-art Competition Complex in Aspire Zone, this is the first FIFA World Cup to feature 48 teams, making this the biggest edition of the youth tournament in its history.

The group stage featured 72 consecutive matches in nine days, which is a first for any FIFA competition, compared to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 which featured a total of 64 matches played over 29 days.

A total of 250 goals were scored during the group stage. This is the first time ever a FIFA U-17 World Cup has crossed the 200-tournament goal milestone. The tournament also recorded the biggest victory in FIFA U-17 World Cup history, with Morocco's 16-0 win over New Caledonia.

Amongst the top goal scorers, Czechia's Vit Skrkon scored the first hat-trick of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 inside just seven minutes. Meanwhile, Belgium's Rene Mitongo became the first player in this year's tournament to register a super hat trick, scoring four goals in a 7-0 win against debutants Fiji.

This is also the first FIFA World Cup to feature a knockout Round of 32. Debutants Republic of Ireland, Uganda and Zambia joined an impressive group of teams to the next round, including defending champions Germany and four-time winners Brazil. Three teams from the Arab world also qualified to the Round of 32: Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.

“Qatar has created history yet again by hosting the biggest edition of a World Cup, which showcases the country's organisational excellence in hosting world-class sporting events, and its commitment to youth football development,” said Jassim Al Jassim, CEO of the tournament's Local Organising Committee (LOC).

“Over the nine days of a thrilling group stage, we welcomed tens of thousands of football fans, transforming the tournament into a one-of-a-kind football festival. The state-of-the-art pitches at Aspire Zone have proven to be a wonderful stage for emerging talents from across the globe, many of whom will go on to be future football stars. The centralised venue format has allowed everyone – from players to journalists and fans – to be at the heart of the football action and enjoy an exceptional tournament experience,” he added.

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström has said the expanded FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 is taking global youth football“to the next level” after witnessing the gripping climax to the group stage in Qatar.

“A lot of credit goes to the Local Organising Committee, who have done a truly fantastic job. In the Aspire Zone, you can move from one pitch to another and watch eight games in a single day, it's really something remarkable. We already had a great FIFA World Cup here in 2022, but this takes it to an entirely new level for youth football,” said the FIFA Secretary General after attending several group-stage matches.

“I think our Qatari hosts have done a truly fantastic job here. I take my hat off to the entire team, together with the FIFA team for their great work. From what I've heard, the participating teams are extremely pleased with the hotels, training facilities, and the overall pitch conditions,” said Grafström.“Having the opportunity to make use of the pitches and all the facilities built for the FIFA World Cup 2022 is truly fantastic.”

Here are some key figures from Qatar hosting the historic 48-team FIFA U-17 World Cup:

1008 players competed in the group stage

The tournament brought together an unprecedented number of U-17 teams from across the world to compete for the coveted trophy, providing the opportunity to young players to shine on a global stage. This year, five teams made their debut – Fiji, Republic of Ireland, Zambia, El Salvador and Uganda.

12 hotels utilised to host teams and tournament officials

The tournament's unique hosting concept saw multiple teams accommodated at a single location, including a centralised dining experience at team hotels, which facilitated cultural exchange by encouraging young players to interact with each other off the pitch. Throughout the tournament, teams were also treated to a number of cultural excursions and social activities, allowing them to experience Qatar's renowned hospitality.

364 training sessions held across 16 training pitches

Teams made use of Qatar's world-class sporting infrastructure, conducting a total of 364 training sessions across 16 training pitches. This setup resulted in up to 48 training sessions per day across all venues.

Two dedicated training sites – Al Ersal and Al Thumama – provided a one-of-a-kind opportunity for young players to train in some of the same grounds that were used by some of the world's biggest football stars during the historic FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Teams were provided with the same level of service as senior national teams. This included training equipment and round-the-clock medical support.

8 pitches, one centralised venue

All 72 matches of the group stage took place at the Competition Complex in Aspire Zone, allowing fans to be part of a spectacular football festival-like atmosphere, as they moved easily from one pitch to another.

For the players, the pitches offered them an ideal playing surface, in line with the highest FIFA standards. During Qatar 2022, the pitches were used as training grounds for some of the teams taking part in the historic tournament.

1 ticket, multiple matches

Fans were able to purchase tickets in the form of a day pass, allowing them to attend multiple matches a day. The group stage hosted up to eight matches a day. This unique hosting concept formed the cornerstone of the fan experience, while allowing football scouts to observe emerging talents at a single venue. A total of 130 scouts from leading football clubs around the world attended the tournament to make use of the unique compact nature of the venue.

43 buses utilised for teams and spectators

The ultra compact nature of the tournament allowed players and fans to utilise Qatar's robust public transportation network. The venue was easily accessible by the Doha Metro. A modern bus fleet, including park and ride shuttle services, enabled teams and spectators to commute at ease. This included the provision of wheelchair-accessible transportation options for disabled fans.

52,657 spectators attended group stage matches

The tournament was a resounding success amongst young fans, with a large number of families and children flocking to the venue to cheer on their teams, in what is a reflection of a vibrant football culture in Qatar. Diverse communities brought the pitches to life as they came together to celebrate a common passion for the game.

3 accessibility features provided a barrier-free experience

Carrying forward Qatar's commitment to host tournaments that are accessible to all, the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 ensured disabled fans were part of the football excitement. Accessibility features at the venue included: wheelchair-accessible seating across all pitches, sensory room at the fan zone for fans with neurodivergent needs, and audio-descriptive commentary for blind and partially sighted football fans.

880 artists and performers regaled spectators at the fan zone

Beyond football, the tournament was a celebration of cultural diversity, where fans were treated to a variety of traditional performances at the fan zone. The tournament served as a platform for young artists from the country, especially students, to showcase their talents to a global audience.

20 small and medium enterprises took part in the fan zone

The tournament sought the participation of several home-grown brands at the fan zone, serving as a prime venue for supporting local businesses. As part of a community-focused initiative, the LOC provided a number of local businesses with free space in the fan zone. In addition to food outlets, the fan zone also featured a number of local gyms that provided fans with the opportunity to take part in fitness activities.

833 workforce were involved in tournament operations

Qatar once again leveraged a multicultural workforce, comprising local and global talents, to deliver the tournament. Having gained valuable experience from hosting mega-sporting events in the country, the tournament LOC seamlessly carried out operations during the group stage.

465 volunteers supported in the delivery of the tournament

Volunteers from 35 different nationalities were involved in 14 functional areas, carrying forward Qatar's volunteering legacy in delivering mega-sporting events.

The volunteers are part of the Qatar Volunteer Programme, which will see a total of 4,000 volunteers recruited for different tournaments that Qatar is set to host this year. This includes FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025.

5 on site clinics provided round-the-clock medical support

The tournament's official medical partner Aspetar, the globally recognised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital, provided a total of five clinics across the venue for players and spectators. Working alongside the country's robust national healthcare provider, Hamad General Hospital, the two entities provided emergency and medical services across the pitches.

1,153 accredited media professionals covered the group stage

A fully equipped media centre at the Aspire Zone served as a crucial hub for media professionals, allowing them to be in the midst of the football action to capture stories from the pitch and highlight emerging talent.

The tournament has attracted global attention for its unique hosting concept, and the exceptional talent that the young generation of players have displayed at Qatar's world-class sporting infrastructure.

The Round of 32 will take place on November 14-15 at the Aspire Zone. Tickets can be purchased exclusively from .

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