The 24 teams who’ll contest this year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, including New Zealand, have been confirmed with the qualification of four teams from South America.
Venezuela became the last team to qualify when they drew 2-2 with Argentina at the U-20 South American Women’s Championship on May 6 (NZT) to finish fifth at the tournament, and claim the region’s last remaining berth.
The nations to have secured their places at the tournament in Columbia include past winners United States (2002, 2008 and 2012), Germany (2004, 2010 and 2014), Japan (2018), North Korea (2006, 2016) and current champions Spain (2022).
Main photo: Colombian fans … their country will host the tournament from August 31-September 22. Photo credit: FIFA.
Four nations will make their first appearance at the tournament, with Fiji, Cameroon, Morocco and Austria qualifying for the first time.
The tournament has undergone a revamp with the FIFA Council deciding in October 2023 to increase the number of participating nations from 16 to 24.
This will extend the tournament by a week, and it will run from August 31 till September 22, 2024.
The tournament draw will be made in Bogata on Thursday June 6, 2024 (NZT).
New Zealand qualified for the U-20 World Cup by winning the OFC U-19 Championship held in Fiji in July 2023.
New Zealand beat Fiji 7-0 in the final, taking the only qualifying spot at next year’s World Cup.
READ MORE: New Zealand qualify for next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup >>>>
However, FIFA’s decision to increase the participation to 24 teams has meant a reprieve for Fiji and they became the second OFC team to qualify.
The nations who have qualified
Nations to confirm their qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup:
- New Zealand and Fiji, through reaching the final of the OFC U-16 women’s championship in Fiji.
- Colombia (hosts).
- Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico and United States, who qualified through the CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship.
- Austria, France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain, who qualified through the UEFA U-19 Women’s Championship.
- Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and Nigeria, who qualified through the 2024 African U-20s World Cup qualifiers, in January 2024.
- Australia, Japan, North Korea and South Korea, who qualified through the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup in March 2024.
- Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Venezuela, who filled the top four places at the U-20 Women’s South American Championship in May 2024.
FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
The 24-team tournament will be held in Colombia from August 31 — September 22, 2024.
Games will be hosted in the Colombian cities of Bogotá, Cali and Medellin.
The 24 participating teams will be divided into six groups of four. The top two teams in each group qualify for the round of 16, along with the four best third-placed teams. There will then be quarter-finals, semi-finals, a match for third place and the final.
Past winners
2002: USA
2004: Germany
2006: DPR Korea
2008: USA
2010: Germany
2012: USA
2014: Germany
2016: DPR Korea
2018: Japan
2022: Spain
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