# FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup

The FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup is an international association football tournament, organized by FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), for national teams of women under the age of 20. The tournament is held biennially. It was first held in 2002 as the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship with an upper age limit of 19. In 2006, the age limit was raised to the current 20. The event was renamed as a World Cup since the 2008 competition, making its name consistent with FIFA's other worldwide competitions for national teams.
Starting with the 2010 edition, tournaments held in years immediately preceding the FIFA Women's World Cup are awarded as part of the bidding process for the Women's World Cup. In those years, the U-20 Women's World Cup serves as a test event for the host nation of the Women's World Cup, a role similar to that of the former FIFA Confederations Cup in the men's game.
The current champions are North Korea, who won their third title at the 2024 tournament in Colombia.

## Qualification

Each continental governing body has its own qualifying tournament, but Africa does not determine a champion.
| Confederation | Qualifier |
| AFC (Asia) | AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup |
| CAF (Africa) | African U-20 Women's World Cup qualification |
| CONCACAF (North, Central America and Caribbean) | CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship |
| CONMEBOL (South America) | South American Under-20 Women's Football Championship |
| OFC (Oceania) | OFC U-20 Women's Championship |
| UEFA (Europe) | UEFA Women's U-19 Championship |

## History
### 2002

The first women's world championship at the youth level, held as the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship, with an age limit of 19, was hosted by Canada. The final, held at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, drew a surprisingly large crowd of 47,000 to watch the hosts play the United States. The US defeated Canada 1–0 on a golden goal by Lindsay Tarpley. Canada's Christine Sinclair was the adidas Golden Ball recipient, as tournament MVP, and the Golden Shoe (10 goals) winner.

### 2004

The 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship was held in Thailand. For the second time in a row, the current holders of the senior World Cup, Germany, won the youth competition. The Golden Ball went to Brazilian star, Marta, while for the second time the Golden Boot went to a Canadian, Brittany Timko.

### 2006

FIFA raised the women's youth championship age limit to 20 to match the men's, beginning with the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship, held in Russia from 17 August through 3 September.
The competition was held in four Moscow stadiums (Dinamo, Lokomotiv, Podmoskovie Stadium and Torpedo Stadion) and one in St. Petersburg (Petrovskiy Stadion).
Korea DPR won the final 5–0 over China PR.

### 2008

The 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship was held in Chile, from 20 November to 7 December 2008.
Six years after winning their first championship at the youth level in 2002, the United States reclaimed the trophy with a 2–1 win over defending champions Korea DPR. The Golden Ball and the Golden Shoe went to Sydney Leroux of the United States.

### 2010

The 2010 edition of the tournament was held in Germany from 13 July to 1 August 2010. The host nation defeated Nigeria in the final to claim its second championship. It was the first time that an African nation had advanced as far as the semifinals. It was also the first tournament in which four different confederations were represented in the semifinals. The Golden Ball and Golden Shoe awards both went to Alexandra Popp of Germany.

### 2012

The 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup was played in Japan from 19 August to 8 September, after initially having a hosting bid from Vietnam withdrawn and a bid from Uzbekistan rejected. The Golden Ball went to Dzsenifer Marozsán of Germany, while the Golden Shoe went to Kim Un-hwa of North Korea.

### 2014

The 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup was held in Canada from 5–25 August 2014, who reprised its role as host after a Zimbabwean bid withdrew leaving the Canadian bid unopposed. The Golden Ball and Golden Shoe awards both went to Asisat Oshoala of Nigeria.

### 2016

The 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup was expected to be held in South Africa, but due to the country's withdrawal, a new host was chosen on 19 March 2015, and it was Papua New Guinea.

### 2018

The 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup was held in France from 5–24 August 2018; a year later France would host the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. The Golden Ball and Golden Shoe awards both went to Patricia Guijarro of Spain.

### 2020

The 2020 edition was initially to be hosted jointly by Costa Rica and Panama in August 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic it has been postponed to January 2021, to be solely hosted by Costa Rica. Due to having the highest COVID-19 cases and deaths in the region, Panama withdrew from hosting this event along with the 2022 Central American and Caribbean Games. The tournament was initially postponed to 2021, subject to further monitoring. On 17 November 2020, FIFA announced that the 2020 edition of the tournament would be cancelled.

### 2022

Following the cancellation of the 2020 edition, Costa Rica were appointed as hosts of the tournament in 2022.

### 2024

As of 2024 the tournament will be expanded from 16 to 24 teams. Colombia was selected as host on 23 June 2023.

### 2026

Poland was selected as host on 17 December 2023.

## Results
### Tournament name

* 2002–2004: "FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship"
* 2006: "FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship"
* 2008–present: "FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup"

### Keys

* aet: after extra time
* p: penalty shoot-out
| Ed. | Year | Host | Final | Final | Final | Third place game | Third place game | Third place game | Num. teams |
| Ed. | Year | Host | Champions | Score | Runners-up | Third place | Score | Fourth place | Num. teams |
| 1 | 2002 | Canada | United States | 1–0 (g.g.) | Canada | Germany | 1–1 (4–3 p) | Brazil | 12 |
| 2 | 2004 | Thailand | Germany | 2–0 | China | United States | 3–0 | Brazil | 12 |
| 3 | 2006 | Russia | North Korea | 5–0 | China | Brazil | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (6–5 p) | United States | 16 |
| 4 | 2008 | Chile | United States | 2–1 | North Korea | Germany | 5–3 | France | 16 |
| 5 | 2010 | Germany | Germany | 2–0 | Nigeria | South Korea | 1–0 | Colombia | 16 |
| 6 | 2012 | Japan | United States | 1–0 | Germany | Japan | 2–1 | Nigeria | 16 |
| 7 | 2014 | Canada | Germany | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Nigeria | France | 3–2 | North Korea | 16 |
| 8 | 2016 | Papua New Guinea | North Korea | 3–1 | France | Japan | 1–0 | United States | 16 |
| 9 | 2018 | France | Japan | 3–1 | Spain | England | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p) | France | 16 |
| 10 | 2022 | Costa Rica | Spain | 3–1 | Japan | Brazil | 4–1 | Netherlands | 16 |
| 11 | 2024 | Colombia | North Korea | 1–0 | Japan | United States | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Netherlands | 24 |
| 12 | 2026 | Poland | | | | | | | 24 |

### Teams reaching the top four

| Team | Titles | Runners-up | Third place | Fourth place |
| Germany | 3 (2004, 2010, 2014) | 1 (2012) | 2 (2002, 2008) | — |
| North Korea | 3 (2006, 2016, 2024) | 1 (2008) | — | 1 (2014) |
| United States | 3 (2002, 2008, 2012) | — | 2 (2004, 2024) | 2 (2006, 2016) |
| Japan | 1 (2018) | 2 (2022, 2024) | 2 (2012, 2016) | — |
| Spain | 1 (2022) | 1 (2018) | — | — |
| Nigeria | — | 2 (2010, 2014) | — | 1 (2012) |
| China PR | — | 2 (2004, 2006) | — | — |
| France | — | 1 (2016) | 1 (2014) | 2 (2008, 2018) |
| Canada | — | 1 (2002) | — | — |
| Brazil | — | — | 2 (2006, 2022) | 2 (2002, 2004) |
| South Korea | — | — | 1 (2010) | — |
| England | — | — | 1 (2018) | — |
| Netherlands | — | — | — | 2 (2022, 2024) |
| Colombia | — | — | — | 1 (2010) |

## Awards

Below are the award winners.
| Tournament | Winner |
| 2002 Canada | Christine Sinclair |
| 2004 Thailand | Marta |
| 2006 Russia | Ma Xiaoxu |
| 2008 Chile | Sydney Leroux |
| 2010 Germany | Alexandra Popp |
| 2012 Japan | Dzsenifer Marozsán |
| 2014 Canada | Asisat Oshoala |
| 2016 Papua New Guinea | Hina Sugita |
| 2018 France | Patricia Guijarro |
| 2022 Costa Rica | Maika Hamano |
| 2024 Colombia | Choe Il-son |
| 2026 Poland | |
| Tournament | Winner | Goals |
| 2002 Canada | Christine Sinclair | 11 |
| 2004 Thailand | Brittany Timko | 7 |
| 2006 Russia | Ma Xiaoxu | 5 |
| 2008 Chile | Sydney Leroux | 5 |
| 2010 Germany | Alexandra Popp | 10 |
| 2012 Japan | Kim Un-hwa | 7 |
| 2014 Canada | Asisat Oshoala | 7 |
| 2016 Papua New Guinea | Mami Ueno | 5 |
| 2018 France | Patricia Guijarro | 6 |
| 2022 Costa Rica | Inma Gabarro | 8 |
| 2024 Colombia | Choe Il-son | 6 |
| 2026 Poland | | |
| Tournament | Winner |
| 2008 Chile | Alyssa Naeher |
| 2010 Germany | Bianca Henninger |
| 2012 Japan | Laura Benkarth |
| 2014 Canada | Meike Kämper |
| 2016 Papua New Guinea | Mylène Chavas |
| 2018 France | Sandy MacIver |
| 2022 Costa Rica | Txell Font |
| 2024 Colombia | Femke Liefting |
| 2026 Poland | |
| Tournament | Winner |
| 2002 Canada | Japan |
| 2004 Thailand | United States |
| 2006 Russia | North Korea Russia |
| 2008 Chile | United States |
| 2010 Germany | South Korea |
| 2012 Japan | Japan |
| 2014 Canada | Canada |
| 2016 Papua New Guinea | Japan |
| 2018 France | Japan |
| 2022 Costa Rica | Japan |
| 2024 Colombia | Japan |
| 2026 Poland | |

## Comprehensive team results in each World Cup
### Legend

* 1st — Champions
* 2nd — Runners-up
* 3rd — Third place
* 4th — Fourth place
* QF – Quarter-finals
* R16 – Round of 16
* GS – Group stage
* • — Did not qualify
* × — Did not enter / Withdrew / To be determined
* XX — Country did not exist or national team was inactive
* — Hosts
* Q – Qualified for upcoming tournament
For each tournament, the flag of the host country and the number of teams in each finals tournament (in brackets) are shown.
| Team | Confederation | 2002 (12) | 2004 (12) | 2006 (16) | 2008 (16) | 2010 (16) | 2012 (16) | 2014 (16) | 2016 (16) | 2018 (16) | 2022 (16) | 2024 (24) | 2026 (24) | Total |
| Argentina | CONMEBOL | • | • | GS | GS | • | GS | • | • | • | • | R16 | | 4 |
| Australia | AFC | QF | QF | GS | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | GS | | 5 |
| Austria | UEFA | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R16 | | 1 |
| Brazil | CONMEBOL | 4th | 4th | 3rd | QF | GS | GS | GS | QF | GS | 3rd | QF | | 11 |
| Cameroon | CAF | × | × | • | • | × | • | × | • | • | • | R16 | | 1 |
| Canada | CONCACAF | 2nd | QF | GS | GS | • | GS | QF | GS | • | GS | R16 | | 9 |
| Chile | CONMEBOL | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | | 1 |
| China | AFC | • | 2nd | 2nd | GS | • | GS | GS | • | GS | • | • | | 6 |
| Chinese Taipei | AFC | GS | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | | 1 |
| Colombia | CONMEBOL | • | • | • | • | 4th | • | • | • | • | QF | QF | | 3 |
| Costa Rica | CONCACAF | • | • | • | • | GS | • | GS | • | • | GS | GS | | 4 |
| Denmark | UEFA | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | | 1 |
| DR Congo | CAF | × | • | GS | GS | • | • | × | • | × | • | • | | 2 |
| England | UEFA | QF | • | • | QF | GS | • | GS | • | 3rd | • | • | | 5 |
| Fiji | OFC | • | × | • | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | GS | | 1 |
| Finland | UEFA | • | • | GS | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | | 2 |
| France | UEFA | GS | • | QF | 4th | GS | • | 3rd | 2nd | 4th | QF | R16 | | 9 |
| Germany | UEFA | 3rd | 1st | QF | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | QF | QF | GS | QF | | 11 |
| Ghana | CAF | × | × | • | • | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | | 7 |
| Haiti | CONCACAF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | • | × | • | 1 |
| Italy | UEFA | • | GS | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | | 2 |
| Japan | AFC | QF | • | • | QF | GS | 3rd | • | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | | 8 |
| Mexico | CONCACAF | GS | • | GS | GS | QF | QF | GS | QF | GS | QF | R16 | | 10 |
| Morocco | CAF | • | • | • | × | × | • | • | × | • | • | GS | | 1 |
| Netherlands | UEFA | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | QF | 4th | 4th | | 3 |
| New Zealand | OFC | • | × | GS | GS | GS | GS | QF | GS | GS | GS | GS | | 9 |
| Nigeria | CAF | GS | QF | QF | QF | 2nd | 4th | 2nd | GS | QF | QF | R16 | | 11 |
| North Korea | AFC | • | • | 1st | 2nd | QF | QF | 4th | 1st | QF | × | 1st | | 8 |
| Norway | UEFA | • | • | • | GS | • | QF | • | • | • | • | • | | 2 |
| Papua New Guinea | OFC | × | • | • | × | × | • | • | GS | • | • | • | | 1 |
| Paraguay | CONMEBOL | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | • | GS | • | GS | | 3 |
| Poland | UEFA | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | Q | 1 |
| Russia | UEFA | • | QF | QF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | × | × | 2 |
| South Korea | AFC | • | GS | • | • | 3rd | QF | QF | GS | • | GS | R16 | | 7 |
| Spain | UEFA | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | QF | 2nd | 1st | QF | | 5 |
| Sweden | UEFA | • | • | • | • | QF | • | • | GS | • | • | • | | 2 |
| Switzerland | UEFA | • | • | GS | • | GS | GS | • | • | • | • | • | | 3 |
| Thailand | AFC | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | | 1 |
| United States | CONCACAF | 1st | 3rd | 4th | 1st | QF | 1st | QF | 4th | GS | GS | 3rd | | 11 |
| Venezuela | CONMEBOL | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | • | • | GS | | 2 |
* ↑ Australia represented OFC before 2006.

## Debut of national teams

| Year | Debuting teams | Debuting teams | Debuting teams |
| Year | Teams | No. | Cum. |
| 2002 | Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Denmark , England, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, United States | 12 | 12 |
| 2004 | China, Italy, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand | 6 | 18 |
| 2006 | Argentina, DR Congo, Finland, New Zealand, North Korea , Switzerland | 6 | 24 |
| 2008 | Chile, Norway | 2 | 26 |
| 2010 | Colombia, Costa Rica, Ghana, Sweden | 4 | 30 |
| 2012 | None | 0 | 30 |
| 2014 | Paraguay | 1 | 31 |
| 2016 | Papua New Guinea, Venezuela | 2 | 33 |
| 2018 | Haiti, Netherlands | 2 | 35 |
| 2022 | None | 0 | 35 |
| 2024 | Austria, Cameroon, Fiji, Morocco | 4 | 39 |
| 2026 | Poland | 1 | 40 |

## Results by confederation

— Hosts are from this confederation

### AFC

| | 2002 (12) | 2004 (12) | 2006 (16) | 2008 (16) | 2010 (16) | 2012 (16) | 2014 (16) | 2016 (16) | 2018 (16) | 2022 (16) | 2024 (24) | 2026 (24) | Total |
| Teams | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 38 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | | 3 |
| Top 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | | 20 |
| Top 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | 13 |
| Top 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | 9 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |

### CAF

| | 2002 (12) | 2004 (12) | 2006 (16) | 2008 (16) | 2010 (16) | 2012 (16) | 2014 (16) | 2016 (16) | 2018 (16) | 2022 (16) | 2024 (24) | 2026 (24) | Total |
| Teams | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 26 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | | 2 |
| Top 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | | 8 |
| Top 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 3 |
| Top 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 2 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |

### CONCACAF

| | 2002 (12) | 2004 (12) | 2006 (16) | 2008 (16) | 2010 (16) | 2012 (16) | 2014 (16) | 2016 (16) | 2018 (16) | 2022 (16) | 2024 (24) | 2026 (24) | Total |
| Teams | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 39 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | | 3 |
| Top 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | | 16 |
| Top 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | | 8 |
| Top 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 4 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 |

### CONMEBOL

| | 2002 (12) | 2004 (12) | 2006 (16) | 2008 (16) | 2010 (16) | 2012 (16) | 2014 (16) | 2016 (16) | 2018 (16) | 2022 (16) | 2024 (24) | 2026 (24) | Total |
| Teams | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 28 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | | 3 |
| Top 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | | 10 |
| Top 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | | 5 |
| Top 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |

### OFC

| | 2002 (12) | 2004 (12) | 2006 (16) | 2008 (16) | 2010 (16) | 2012 (16) | 2014 (16) | 2016 (16) | 2018 (16) | 2022 (16) | 2024 (24) | 2026 (24) | Total |
| Teams | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 15 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | | 0 |
| Top 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 3 |
| Top 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 |
| Top 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |

### UEFA

| | 2002 (12) | 2004 (12) | 2006 (16) | 2008 (16) | 2010 (16) | 2012 (16) | 2014 (16) | 2016 (16) | 2018 (16) | 2022 (16) | 2024 (24) | 2026 (24) | Total |
| Teams | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 54 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | | 5 |
| Top 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | | 31 |
| Top 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | | 15 |
| Top 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | | 7 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 |