Football 

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam have been placed in a tough Group G with Mali, New Zealand and Belgium in the FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2026 following a draw conducted on May 21 at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

The draw resulted in a host of intriguing contests.

For the first time last year, the tournament was expanded from 24 teams to 48. The change proved a roaring success, with packed-out crowds enjoying thrilling matches between the finest international youth teams on the planet.

More excitement is expected when the festival-style event returns to Qatar in November.

Of the qualifying nations, 46 are already known, with the final two spots to be decided on May 23, when the CAF playoffs take place. 

The winners of the Ethiopia v Mozambique and Uganda v Ghana matches will clinch their spots at the global showpiece and complete the 48-team line-up.

This year, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Tanzania and Việt Nam will all be making their debut in the U17 World Cup. 

The draw divided teams into 12 groups of four.

Eye-catching group matches include a heavyweight showdown between Spain and Morocco in Group H, AFC giants Japan facing South American champions Colombia in Group L and France taking on Uruguay in Group D. 

Việt Nam, one of nine Asian teams and the only representative from Southeast Asia, are seen as an underdog in the tournament. In fact, the chances of going far in their first youth World Cup appearance are fairly small, as their rival group teams are all very strong.

Mali are the African runners-up who won the World Cup silver in 2015, fourth place in 2017 and bronze in 2023.

New Zealand are also tough as the 10-time consecutive Oceania champions. They are set to advance to the knockout stage after being eliminated early four times in a row.

Belgium have several talented players and are looking to beat their third place record from 2015.

Việt Nam Football Federation Vice President Trần Anh Tú said it was a competitive group, with teams from continents that are home to footballing nations with strong physical fitness, high professional standards and extensive international tournament experience.

“Earning a berth in the U17 World Cup is a proud milestone in Việt Nam's football history. Importantly, players will gain precious opportunities to learn lessons, grow up and show their abilities in the global arena," Tú said.

He added that participating in the World Cup would also be a strong motivation for the next U17 generations to repeat the achievement, helping to build a strong force for the national team in the future.

Vietnamese players will receive strong support, helping them do their best in Qatar, where they can spread positive images of Việt Nam's football prowess to international friends.

The tournament will begin on November 11 in Qatar, with the venues being confirmed soon. Two top teams from each group and eight of the third place squads with the best results will qualify for the next round.

Portugal were the defending champions, having won their first title in 2025, but failed to qualify for this year's edition and thus are unable to defend the title. Portugal became the first title holders since England in 2019 to fail to qualify for the subsequent tournament. — VNS