‘Playing in U-17 World Cup will be unforgettable experience for our young players’

Doha, Qatar: Only 10 days remain for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025, which will see 48 teams from across the globe convene in Qatar from November 3-27 to compete for the coveted trophy.

All eyes will be on Qatar, as the country gets set to host the youth tournament for the first time. The hosts will be looking to improve on their best finish, when they claimed fourth place in the 1991 edition of the tournamentthat took place in Italy – becoming the first Qatari team to reach the Third-Place Playoff.

Speaking to the tournament’s Local Organising Committee (LOC), Jassim Al Tamimi, who captained the 1991 U-17 team at the time, recounts the country’s historic achievement 34 years agoand the significance that the tournament continues tohold for young players.

“My beginnings were like any Qatari youth, playing football in the neighbourhood. When I was selected to be part of the team for the 1991 U-17 World Cup, it was a dream come true,” said Al Tamimi, who eventually played for the Qatar senior national team from 1996–2004.

During the 1991 tournament, Al Tamimi’s squad was drawn into Group B, alongside Australia, Congo and Mexico. After a slow start with a 0-0 draw against Congo, and a 1-0 defeat to Mexico, Al Tamimi’s winning goal in the 76th minute against Australia, launched the Young Maroons out of the group stage. The team would go on to beat the USA in the Quarter-Finals, before losing toeventual champions Ghana in a penalty shootout in the Semi-Finals. Despite narrowly losing to Argentina in the Third-Place Playoff, the Young Maroons made history by finishing fourth in the tournament.

“We became the first Qatari team in the youth category to make it to this stage. This was a tremendous achievement. The joy was indescribable and the whole country was celebrating with us. This experiencebecame the gateway to my football career,” said Al Tamimi, who went on to achieve 100 caps for his country.

With Qatar now set to make its eighth appearance at the tournament, a new generation of players will be looking to make the country proud. Hosts Qatar have been drawn into Group A, alongside Italy, South Africa and Bolivia, and will play their first match against Italy on November 3, 6:45pm.

“Playing in the U-17 World Cup will be an unforgettable experience for our young players. I hope it becomes a wonderful memory for them, just like it was for me.It is an honour for any player to represent their national team at the highest level,” said Al Tamimi.

“Hosting tournaments such as the World Cup in Qatar will serve as a launch point for emerging talents and future stars. Qatar has already surpassed many developed football nations in terms of its sporting infrastructure and organisational abilities. It is now time for our young players to put Qatar amongst the top-ranked teams in the world,” he added.

The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025, taking place at the state-of-the-art Competition Complex at Aspire Zone, will see as many as eight matches a day, for a total of 104 matches. The final will take place on November 27, 7pm, at Khalifa International Stadium.

Fans can purchase tickets at: www.roadtoqatar.qa. Tickets are available as a Day Pass, which will enable fans to attend multiple matches a day as well as cultural and entertainment activities taking place around matches, in what will be an electrifying football festival-like atmosphere.

Fans can also purchase a Prime Pass, which will enable them to reserve seats for high demand matches. Supporters of the Qatar national team can avail the Follow My Team ticket, which will enable them to attend all matches of the Qatari U-17 team during the group stage.

All tickets will be digital and will include wheelchair accessible seating options for disabled fans.

The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 is the first of five consecutive editions that Qatar will be hosting. As the first FIFA World Cup to feature 48 teams, this will be the biggest-ever edition of the youth tournament that saw the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Luis Figo, Xavi Hernandez, Eden Hazard, Andres Iniesta, Neymar, Ronaldinho, Son Heung-min and Francesco Totti appear on the world stage for the first time.

Qatar’s spectacular line-up of mega-sporting events will kick off with the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 from November 3-27, followed by the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 from December 1-18. In addition, the country is also set to host the second edition of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2025, which will take place on December 10, 13 and 17.