March 6 – ‘If you build it, they will come’ was the mantra behind the 1989 baseball movie Field of Dream. In Qatar’s case they keep on coming and November and December will see the Arab state full of footballers again.
The now annual U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 will be played November 3 – 27 as the first of Qatar’s five-year tenure as hosts of the tournament. Germany are the defending champions from 2023.
This is the first 48-team FIFA World Cup tournament, and will see a total of 104 matches played over 25 days.
That U17 World Cu[ will be followed immediately by the Arab Cup Qatar 2025, now under the auspices of FIFA, that will kick off on December 1, with the final being played on December 18, Qatar National Day.
A total of 16 teams from the Arab world will compete in Qatar which is hosting for the second time in a row, having held the inaugural edition in 2021.
Algeria (pictured) are reigning champions having beaten Tunisia 2-0 in the final at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, on December 18, 2021.
“Qatar will once again bring people together from the region and beyond to celebrate the beautiful game in our football loving nation. The FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 will capture the imagination of millions of football fans from around the region for a second time, while the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 offers a wonderful platform for young players to shine on a global stage,” said Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of Sports and Youth, and LOC Chairman for both tournaments.
“We look forward to welcoming players and fans alike into our world-class sporting facilities and providing them with a rich cultural and seamless fan experience. We believe in the ability of sports to bring people together and help break down cultural barriers, something that drives our continuous desire to host major sporting events in Qatar,” he continued.
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