FUTURE OF FOOTBALLYOUTH TOURNAMENTS
Proposal for the future of global youth competitions

01 CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL

08

02 PROPOSED SOLUTIONS AND NEW FIFA CONCEPTS

26

03 FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP

28

04 YOUTH WORLD CUPS (U-18, U-17 AND U-16)

36

05 PROPOSED AGE CATEGORIES

48

06 QUALIFICATION PATHWAYS

52

BACKGROUND				0407 DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION AT MA LEVEL54

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY		

08 EVENT TIMING AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

56

09 HOST APPOINTMENT STRATEGY

60

TABLE OFCONTENTS
06

ANNEXE

62

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTSBACKGROUNDBACKGROUNDCONTEXTIn recent years, development trends in football,•the existing structures for, and degree offrom youth to senior level, have evolved greatly.

participation and representation in, youth

Mindful of this, FIFA 2.0: The Vision for the Future

football tournaments at MA, regional andnoted in 2016 that “the current structure ofinternational levels, as well as the correct

youth competitions (both for boys and girls) was

competition parameters for FIFA’s tournaments

created decades ago” and that “it is crucial for(e.g. size, format, slot allocation, qualification

FIFA to analyse whether its youth competitions still

pathways and frequency); andcorrespond to the current needs and/or whether
changes are called for”.

•

the existing operational and financial models
adopted for delivering FIFA’s youth tournaments
and efficiencies and economies of scale in FIFA’s

FIFA’s blueprint document to make football truly

delivery, as well as leveraging these tournaments

global entitled The Vision 2020-2023 advocates for the

to build capacity in terms of infrastructure anddelivery of innovative, impactful, and inspiring youth

hosting experience.

tournaments around the world, optimising resources
Current trends

and leaving a legacy for players and host countries.

administration to make a proposal for the future of
Optimising FIFA’s youth tournaments entails exploring

Existing structures

FIFA’s youth tournaments.

several different topics, such as:
This document outlines FIFA’s new concept for its•

Operational andfinancial models

In May 2021, the 71st FIFA Congress requested the FIFA

the current trends in player development acrossyouth tournaments for further discussion with thethe men’s and women’s game and how to reflect

relevant stakeholders.

player development pathways in an appropriate
age category structure;

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTSEXECUTIVE SUMMARYEXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
The role of competitive elite youth football inWithout FIFA’s intervention, this situation is unlikely

player development and gaining early exposure on

to improve. To address the issues outlined above,

the international stage cannot be underestimated.

FIFA proposes several solutions for both men’s andAs the global landscape of football has evolved

women’s youth tournaments and their respective

significantly over the past few decades, it isqualification pathways, namely:

important that top-down initiatives to foster its
growth evolve with it.

•

introducing minimum criteria to enhance andalign qualification pathways;

As guardians of the game, it is fundamental that FIFA•

introducing youth World Cups – two proposals

ensure equal opportunities for all talented male and(Proposal A: U-17 only or Proposal B: U-16 andfemale football players by putting in place sufficientU-18);

structures for the creation and delivery of FIFA youth•

tournaments and their associated qualification
pathways.

expanding the number of teams for all FIFA
youth tournaments (except for men’s U-20);•

reducing the number of hosting requirements
and introducing a new park-based model;

Bearing this in mind, FIFA carried out an extensive•

analysis of the existing landscape of youth
competitions and revealed several key issues
including:••adjusting the frequency of tournaments, goingfrom biennial to annual youth World Cups; and•maintaining biennial FIFA U-20 World Cups
(men’s and women’s).

misalignment of the confederation qualification

By implementing a park-based model for FIFA youth

pathways and disparity in playing opportunities;

tournaments using multi-pitch complexes, thelimitedestimated cost over a four-year cycle would be aroundMA

participationandhosting

opportunities;

USD 210.4m (Proposal A) or USD 320.8m (Proposal B),•

gaps in the talent pathways;

with the delivery of 12 or 20 tournaments, respectively.

•

increasing competitive imbalance and disparity

In comparison, FIFA currently delivers eight youth

in playing opportunities between Europe andtournaments in a four-year cycle at an approximate

the rest of the world.

cost of USD 202.4m.

|7CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL

The following section proposes a new FIFA player development pathway and outlines the existing landscapeof youth competitions around the world for both boys and girls. The information presented has been preparedbased on a robust and in-depth analysis of MA, confederation, and FIFA activities.

1.1 TALENTPATHWAY
Based on FIFA’s extensive analysis and following consultations with a range of experts in the field (including
academics, national-team managers, and technical directors), FIFA has sought to define a talent pathway (seediagram on the next page) to identify critical milestones within a player’s career and ensure that age-appropriate
youth tournaments are offered by FIFA at all stages of the pathway.
This talent pathway will be referenced when explaining the rationale for the introduction of the new concepts
later in this paper.

01

CURRENTLANDSCAPE
OF YOUTHFOOTBALL

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF YOUTH FOOTBALLTALENT PATHWAY

U-6 TO U-11
ACCESSIBILITY TO
FOOTBALL

U-12 TO U-15
PREPARATION FORCOMPETITIVE YOUTHFOOTBALL

U-16 TO U-18
HIGH-PERFORMANCEYOUTH FOOTBALL

U-18 TO U-23
TRANSITION FROMJUNIOR TO SENIOR
LEVEL

•
•

MAs need to have a strong focus

•

•

•

for the first time at regional andcompetitions and internationalchildren are introduced to footballnational levels.

tournaments for the first time.

•

Critical factors

organised and offered throughfriendly matches.

•

schools and clubs with governments
Critical factors

Critical factors•

Crucial to developing the talent pool.

•

There can be a regional disparity interms of access to the game.

•••formats.

•

development.

playing time.

Necessity for provision of
MAs play a key role in providing

clubs.

national youth team competitions at

Shadow squads/futures•

Potential issues for releasing players•

infrastructure must be available tosupport players.

and maturation.

pool to late developers.

•

Shadow squads/futures programme•

Performance frameworks andoutside FIFA windows.
Impact of growth and maturation.

Key to supporting players’ education

opportunities.
Critical factors•

affected by days missed at school.

role in organising regularsenior teams at professional level.

programmes to broaden the talent•

MAs continue to play an important

Most talented players already play in

Awareness of the impact of growthtalent pool.

•international training and playing

level.
•

MAs must continue to scout andidentify talent and work with the•effect.

Shadow squads to broaden the•competitive playing opportunities.

play in senior teams at professional
Higher likelihood of spotting talent.

prognosis.

Development-oriented competition

exposed to regular and guaranteed

Critical factors•

It is essential that talents are

Continued focus on individual player

Only a small percentage of talents

Very high impact of relative age

Globally, low likelihood of talent•global level.

international training camps and••Talents get first exposure to

Participation opportunities are

and regional associations.

•

Players will experience major

Through grassroots football, young
for the first time.

•national youth teams.

MAs start to implement a talent

upon development.

These talents cannot be seen as fully
fledged senior players.

on talent promotion within theiridentification and selection process

The level and frequency ofcompetition can have a huge impact••

OVER-18
PROFESSIONALFOOTBALL•

International playing opportunities

to broaden the talent pool.

offer further development

Holistic education and support ofopportunities to the best talents.

player’s welfare.

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

1.2 FIFA’S CURRENT YOUTHTOURNAMENT LANDSCAPE
Based on the analysis of existing FIFA youth tournaments and their respective confederation qualification
pathways, the following section highlights the key issues identified by FIFA. In summary, the key issues can be
categorised as follows:•

misalignment of the confederation qualification pathways and disparity in playing opportunities;•

limited MA participation and hosting opportunities;•

gaps in the talent pathways; and•increasing competitive imbalance and disparity in playing opportunities between Europe and the rest of
the world.

1.2.1 MISALIGNMENT OF THE CONFEDERATION QUALIFICATIONPATHWAYS

CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL

Table Confederations and their qualifiers
CONFEDERATIONAGE CATEGORYFREQUENCY

TIMINGAFC

U-19 / U-16

Every two years

Year-1CAF

U-20 / U-17

Every two years

Year 0Concacaf

U-20 / U-17

Every two years

Year 0

CONMEBOL

U-20 / U-17

Every two years

Year 0OFC

U-20 / U-17

Every two years

Year -1 / Year 0

UEFA

U-19 / U-17

Every year

Year -1 / Year 0

Men’s U-17 competition qualification overview
The following table illustrates the discrepancy in the timing of the qualification pathway and format between

A study of the confederation qualification pathways for FIFA’s youth tournaments shows a lack of uniformity andthe confederations for the 2019 edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. For example, the AFC commenced theirconsistency in the confederations’ approaches.

qualification process in Q3 2017 (25 months prior to the FIFA U-17 World Cup), whereas Concacaf and CONMEBOL
commenced qualification in 2019 (the year of the FIFA final tournament).

Men’s youth tournaments
The table on the next page summarises the respective confederation qualification pathways for the 2019 FIFA
men’s youth competitions. As depicted in the table, UEFA is the only confederation which organises annualcompetitions at youth level, while the other confederations organise competitions on a biennial basis to qualify

Table Confederations and their qualifiers
CONFEDERATIONAGE CATEGORY

for the FIFA U-20 World Cup™ and FIFA U-17 World Cup™.

AFC 2018
U-16 ChampionshipIn relation to the FIFA U-20 World Cup, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL and the OFC use their U-20 competitions for

CAF 2019
U-17 Africa Cup of Nations

qualification, whereas the AFC and UEFA organise a U-19 competition.
For the FIFA U-17 World Cup, UEFA is also the only confederation to deliver annual competitions. All
confederations deliver their respective qualifiers at U-17 level, except for the AFC which delivers a U-16
competition. It should be noted that the AFC recently announced that the AFC U-16 and U-19 competitions will
become U-17 and U-20 competitions from 2022.

2017
Q3

Q4

2018
Q1

Q2

2019

Q3

QT

Q4

Q1

Q2

FT

(GS)

QT
(Zonal)Concacaf 2019U-17 Championship

FT
QT(Zonal)CONMEBOL 2019
South American U-17 Championship
OFC 2018
U-16 ChampionshipUEFA 2019
European U-17 Championship
QT = Qualifying tournament GS = Group stage FT = Final tournament KO = Knockout

FT

FT
QT
FT
QT1
(GS)

QT2
(GS)

FT

Q3

Q4

FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019TM

12 |

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL

The table also visually demonstrates the differences in competition format between the confederations; UEFA
organises a comprehensive qualification process commencing 16 months prior to the FIFA U-17 World Cup thatis composed of two stages (a qualifying round and an elite round) before the final 16 teams gather for the UEFA
U-17 Championship in Q2 of the year of the tournament. In contrast, CONMEBOL and the OFC only organise a
final tournament; CONMEBOL organises one in Q1 and Q2 in the year of the FIFA tournament and the OFC in Q3
the year before the FIFA tournament.
Men’s U-20 competition qualification overview
The qualification pathway for the 2019 edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup is presented in the table below. BothUEFA and the AFC commenced qualification in Q4 2017, with their final tournaments delivered in Q3 and Q4 2018,
respectively. Conversely, CAF and CONMEBOL both delivered their final stage of the qualifiers in Q1 2019. Like
the qualification pathway for the U-17 tournament, UEFA has a three-stage qualification process (a qualifying
round, an elite round, and a final tournament). At the other end of the spectrum, Concacaf and CONMEBOL only
delivered a final tournament prior to their teams competing in the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
It is important to note that all confederations organising qualifying rounds prior to their respective final

Women’s youth tournaments

tournament do so in mini-tournament format, except for CAF which organises their qualifying round on a home-

For the women’s confederation qualification pathways for the 2018 FIFA youth tournaments, the key information

and-away basis.

is summarised in the table below:

Table Confederations and their qualifiers

Table Confederations and their qualifiers

CONFEDERATIONAGE CATEGORY

AFC 2018
U-19 Championship

2017
Q3

Q4

2018
Q1

Q2

Q3

QT

Q4

Q1

FT

(GS)

CAF 2019
U-20 Africa Cup of Nations

QT
(KO)

FT

Concacaf 2018
U-20 Championship

FTCONMEBOL 2019
South American U-20 Championship

FT

OFC 2018
U-19 ChampionshipUEFA 2018
European U-19 Championship

2019

QT
(GS)
QT1
(GS)

QT2
(GS)

FT

FT

Q2

FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019TM

14 |

Q3

Q4

CONFEDERATIONAGE CATEGORYFREQUENCY

TIMINGAFC

U-19 / U-16

Every two years

Year-1CAF

U-20 / U-17

Every two years

Year -1/0

Concacaf

U-20 / U-17

Every two years

Year 0

CONMEBOL

U-20 / U-17

Every two years

Year 0OFC

U-20 / U-17

Every two years

Year -1

UEFA

U-19 / U-17

Every year

Year -1 / Year 0

As is the case in the men’s game, UEFA is the only confederation with annual competitions at youth level, whilst
the other confederations organise competitions on a biennial basis as qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’sWorld Cup™ and FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup™. With reference to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, CAF,
Concacaf, CONMEBOL and UEFA organise U-17 qualification competitions, whereas the AFC and the OFC deliver
U-16 competitions. For the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, the AFC, the OFC and UEFA organise U-19 qualifiers,
whereas CAF, Concacaf and CONMEBOL organise U-20 qualifiers.

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL

Women’s U-17 competition qualification overview

Women’s U-20 competition qualification overview

To further understand the landscape of the qualification pathway for the 2018 edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s

For the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, as depicted below, three of the six confederations conclude their

World Cup, the table below highlights the disparity in timing and competition formats for the respective

qualification pathways in the same year as the FIFA tournament (CAF, Concacaf and CONMEBOL all finish inconfederation tournaments. As with the men’s youth tournaments, UEFA offered a three-stage qualification

Q1). Both the AFC and UEFA started their qualification process in Q4 2016, commencing with a qualifying round.

process for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, comprising a qualifying round commencing in Q3/Q4 2017,

Like all its other competitions, UEFA continued this qualification pathway with an elite round in Q2 and a final

an elite round in Q1 2018, and concluding with a final tournament in Q2 2018 (three months prior to the FIFA

tournament in Q3 2017 (one year prior to the FIFA tournament). As with the U-17 women’s tournaments, both

tournament). The AFC commenced their qualification process in Q3 2016 (two years prior to the FIFA tournament)

CONMEBOL and the OFC only organised a final tournament as qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World

with their qualifying round and their final tournament 12 months later in Q3 2017.

Cup, while CAF delivered a home-and-away qualification process beginning in Q3 2017 through to Q1 2018.
Finally, Concacaf delivered a two-stage qualification process with a zonal qualifying round in Q3 2017 and theirand the OFC organised a final tournament only, in Q3 2017 (one year prior to the FIFA tournament) and Q1 2018(eight months prior to the FIFA tournament) respectively. Finally, Concacaf delivered a two-stage qualification
process with a zonal qualifying round in Q4 2017 and their final tournament in Q2 2018.

2017 Women’s AFC
U-16 Championship

2017
Q3

Q4

QT
(GS)

2018
Q1

Q2

Q4

Q1

Q2

QT
(Zonal)2018 Concacaf
Women’s U-17 Championship

QT(Zonal)FT2018 CONMEBOL South American
U-17 Women’s Championship2018 UEFA European
Women’s U-17 Championship

Q3

Q4

FT

2018 CAF U-17 FIFA Women’sWorld Cup African Qualifiers2017 OFC
U-16 Women’s Championship2017 Women’s AFC
U-19 Championship

2019

Q3

FT

FT
QT1
(GS)

QT2
(GS)

Table Confederations and their qualifiers
CONFEDERATIONAGE CATEGORY

Table Confederations and their qualifiers
CONFEDERATIONAGE CATEGORY

final tournament in Q1 2018.

FT

2017
Q3

Q4

2018
Q1

Q2

Q3

QT

Q4

Q1

QT
(KO)

2018 Concacaf
Women’s U-20 Championship

QT(Zonal)2018 CONMEBOL South American
U-20 Women’s Championship

FTFT2017 OFC
U-19 Women’s Championship

FT
QT1
(GS)

Q2

Q3

FT

(GS)

2018 CAF U-20 FIFA
Women’s World Cup African Qualifiers2017 UEFA European
Women’s U-19 Championship

2019

QT2
(GS)

FT

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
France 2018

For CAF, the qualification process is composed of a knockout stage with home and away fixtures, while CONMEBOLFIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
Uruguay 2018

16 |

Q4

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL

1.2.2 DISPARITY IN PLAYING OPPORTUNITIES

Men’s youth competition qualification overview

A further examination of the qualification pathways in relation to the number of matches played by the MAs

European and South American MAs benefit from agreater number of playing opportunities throughout thequalification phasereveals a variation and disparity in playing opportunities for players between confederations in both the men’s
and women’s youth tournaments. As shown in the graph below, globally, only between 33% and 40% of MAs playsix or more matches as part of the qualifying phase for the FIFA youth tournaments.

U-17

U-20

A greater percentage of MAs from Europe (58% of MAs for the U-17 finals and 49% of MAs for the U-20 finals) and33%

South America (60% of MAs for both U-17 and U-20 finals) played between six and 12 matches as part of the

OF MAS

qualifying phase for the FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups in 2019. In contrast, only one nation from Oceania (9%)

35%

had access to this many matches, whilst between 12% and 18% of MAs in North and Central America had the

OF MAS

U-17

opportunity to play between six and 12 games during the same men’s qualifying campaign.

40%
OF MAS

U-20

100

38%
OF MAS

75

60
Illustration % of MAs that played between six and 12 games as qualification for the last three editions of the U-17 and U-20 men’s andwomen’s World Cups

In the next section, the graphs illustrate the number of matches played by the men’s and women’s national youth% of MAs

18 |in playing opportunities across the world.

51

50

34 36

35

39

25 23

25

18

teams during their respective qualification competitions for the 2018/19 editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cups
and FIFA U-20 World Cups. This is a detailed account of the current qualifying landscape and apparent disparity

59

53

7
0

AFC

CAF

Concacaf

CONMEBOL

OFC
Men’s U-17

UEFA
Men’s U-20

Illustration % of MAs that played between six and 12 matches during the men’s U-17 and U-20 qualification phase for the last three FIFA
tournaments (2015, 2017, 2019)

Currently, European MAs have access to annual youth tournaments led by the confederation. As such,players from Europe will have played twice as many matches prior to competing in the respective FIFA youth
tournament. In addition, it can be assumed that there are more friendly matches in preparation for the qualifiersin Europe than in other confederations, which clearly puts European MAs and players from Europe at a distinct
advantage compared to their counterparts elsewhere. More games also mean more player and technical staff
development. Players become attuned to international football and all that surrounds it, both on and off thepitch, whilst technical staff benefit through increased exposure to football at the highest level. Finally, from aplayer development perspective, because of more contact time, the technical staff have a greater understanding
and insight into the players and the team.

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL

Women’s youth competition qualification overview

Some MAs qualified for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
in 2018 having only faced two opponents
The situation with respect to the women’s youth tournaments is even more disparate through the existing
qualification pathways. Indeed, for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2018, only five of the OFC’s MAs played
up to five matches, while only six did so in advance of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2018. In CAF, for theFIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2018, Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria all qualified for the competition having
only played four matches (against two opponents, home and away). This limited number of games is a distinct
disadvantage for such nations as they get less preparation and fewer development opportunities ahead of major
championships.

100

1.2.3 LIMITED MA PARTICIPATION AND HOSTING OPPORTUNITIES
75% of MAs

20 |

55
50

25

MA participation
51

50% of MAs have never participated in a FIFA men’s youth tournament

40 40

15

21

17

25

31

Analysis of MA participation levels in FIFA’s youth tournaments reveals that, to date, across the 22 editions of theFIFA U-20 World Cup and the 18 editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, only 106 MAs have participated in a men’s

0

0

AFC

CAF

0
Concacaf

CONMEBOL

0

OFC
Women’s U-17

youth tournament. In other words, 50% of MAs have never participated in a FIFA men’s youth tournament.
UEFA
Women’s U-20

Illustration % of MAs that played between six and 12 matches during the women’s U-17 and U-20 qualification phase for the last threeFIFA tournaments (2014, 2016, 2018)

Only 44 MAs have ever participated in a FIFA women’s youth tournamentWith regard to the women’s youth tournaments, to date, across the nine editions of the FIFA U-20 World Cup andthe six editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, only 44 MAs have participated in a women’s youth tournament – lessthan 25%.
Less than 25% of MAs have ever hosted a FIFA competition
MA hosting
Currently, there is a pool of MAs that can host competitions by themselves, although typically with significant
support from FIFA. This pool represents only a minority of FIFA’s constituency, which translates to several repeat
hosts across various FIFA competitions. For instance, fewer than 50 MAs have hosted a FIFA competition out of arough total of 100 competitions organised by FIFA (excluding the FIFA Confederations Cup™ and FIFA Club World
Cup™, which could skew the data).

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL

1.2.4 GAPS IN THE TALENT PATHWAY
To analyse the age distribution of male and female players in FIFA’s youth tournaments, information was gatheredfrom the last three FIFA U-17 World Cups and the last three FIFA U-20 World Cups.

60

30

90

59%

60

31%
30

14%
2%

2%

0

Age distribution (%)

Age distribution (%)

90

U-16

U-17 | 2015, 2017 and 2019

U-17

55%

60

32%
30

8%
0

U-17

U-18

60

U-19

U-20

U-17 | 2015, 2017 and 2019

34%

U-19

U-20

19%
11%
0

U-15
U-16
U-17
U-17
Illustration Age distribution for the last three men’s U-17 and U-20 FIFA World Cups

U-20 | 2015, 2017 and 2019

36%
30

13%

0

U-15

90

Age distribution (%)

84%

90

Age distribution (%)

22 |

U-18

U-20 | 2015, 2017 and 2019Illustration Age distribution for the last three men’s FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups

Illustration Age distribution for the last three women’s FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups

As shown in the diagram above, for the men’s competition at U-17 level, there is a clear disparity in the age

Nevertheless, it is anticipated that over time women’s football will follow the same trajectory as men’s youth

profiles of players, with most players in the U-17 age group (84%) and 14% in the U-16 age group and 2% in the

football and the age distribution will favour certain age groups, if competitions continue to be held biennially.

U-15 age group. In comparison, at the U-20 level, there is not such a dramatic predominance of one age group,with 59% in the U-20 age group, 31% in the U-19 age group, 8% in the U-18 age group and 2% in the U-17 age

FIFA’s analysis tends to suggest that the biennial format of the competitions significantly limits the developmentalgroup. This illustrates that players in the U-16 age group have fewer opportunities to get scouted and developed

chances of players at U-17 level and creates a generational disadvantage. In this context, “generationalat the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

disadvantage” refers to the lower levels of participation (in a FIFA youth tournament) experienced by thoseplayers born in a certain year. For instance, currently a male player born in an even year (2002, 2004, etc.) is at

The same analysis in respect of the last three women’s youth competitions (see next page) revealed that there

an advantage (in terms of age) to qualify for his national team for a FIFA U-17 World Cup compared with a maleis not the same level of disparity in age profiles as in the men’s youth competitions. Indeed, there is a more evenplayer born in an odd year (2003, 2005, etc.) as the player is born closer to the cut-off age for the tournament.

distribution of age groups, particularly in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups, where there was an almost equal
distribution of U-20 (34%) and U-19 players (36%), followed by U-18 (19%) and U-17 (11%) players. However, in

The case is the reverse for a female player born in an even year, who is at a disadvantage (in terms of age) tothe case of the last three FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cups, the disparity was greater. U-17 players represented thequalify for her national team for a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup compared with a female player born in an odd

largest cohort out of the three age categories (55%), followed by U-16 (32%) and U-15 (9%) players.

year.
This means that talented players, depending on when they are born, do not have the same opportunities togain international experience at a FIFA youth tournament. Further to this, talents linked to MAs in Europe benefit
from the annual continental youth competitions delivered by the confederation. This further exacerbates thegap between Europe and the rest of the world regarding the development opportunities offered by international
games.

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL

1.2.5 INCREASING COMPETITIVE IMBALANCE BETWEEN EUROPE AND
THE REST OF THE WORLD

Evidence also suggests that there is a decreasing competitive balance throughout the leagues and MAs. A cursory
glance at the players competing at the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ in Russia reveals that 50% of the players were

When considering the current landscape of FIFA’s youth tournaments, it is useful to analyse the performances ofregistered with clubs across just five leagues. Furthermore, the semi-finalists of the last four FIFA World Cups

each confederation across the various competitions. In the chart below, the last three editions of FIFA’s youth andcomprised nine European MAs and three South American MAs. Within the women’s game, there is emerging

senior football tournaments have been analysed by assessing MAs (per confederation) that reached the quarter-

evidence that a similar trend is developing.

finals of the respective tournaments. Notably, there is a more balanced representation of the confederationsin the quarter-finals based on a more even distribution of slots at U-17 and U-20 levels. However, there is aSome MAs, clubs and leagues are getting bigger and stronger and the gap is widening between them and theirclear imbalance in the representation in the senior tournaments, with a dominance of European MAs in the FIFAlesser developed counterparts.

Women’s World Cup™. The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019™ was a clear example of this, with seven of the final
eight teams coming from UEFA. A similar European and South American over-representation exists for the FIFA

With the gap between developed and developing MAs, leagues and clubs widening, FIFA has a unique opportunity

World Cup™. One probable reason, among many others, for this over-representation by European MAs could

with its youth tournaments to level the playing field around the world, giving every player access to a suitable

be attributed to the contribution of regular playing opportunities at youth national team level translating into

number of elite-level football matches that will prepare them to compete on the world stage should their MA

performances at senior national team level.

qualify for a FIFA tournament.

% of MAs

U-17

60

38
29

30

21

17

17

17

17

21
13

8

0

0

AFC

U-20

CAF

Concacaf

CONMEBOL

4

OFC

UEFA

60

% of MAs

42
33
25

30

21

8

17

17

21

8

4

0

AFC

CAF

Concacaf

CONMEBOL

0

4

OFC

UEFA

Senior54

60% of MAs

24 |

58

38
30

0

21
0
AFC

17
4

0

CAF

4
Concacaf

4
CONMEBOL

0

0

OFC
Men

UEFA
Women

Illustration Confederation representation at the quarter-final stage of the last three editions of the men’s and women’s U-17, U-20 andsenior World Cup tournaments.

| 25

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS AND NEW FIFA CONCEPTS

Building upon the key issues identified in the previous section, a few proposed solutions are summarised in thetable below:
Table Identified key issues and proposed solutions

KEY ISSUESPROPOSED SOLUTIONS

Misalignment of the confederation

FIFA to introduce minimum criteria (including minimum number

qualification pathwaysof qualification matches) aimed at enhancing and aligning the

Disparity in playing opportunities across thequalification pathways. Where confederations are unable toconfederations.

implement FIFA’s recommendations, FIFA will support the deliveryof the qualification process (see section 6).

Limited MA participation and hosting

Introducing a high-performance youth competition (youth World

opportunities

Cup). Expansion in the number of teams to 48 teams.

Participation

Reduction in hosting requirements and introduction of new

Hosting“multi-pitch complexes” hosting concept.

Gaps in the talent pathway

See above. Furthermore, adjust frequency from biennial to

Existence of “generational disadvantage” forannual for the youth World Cups.

the U-17 age group with the current biennial
format for U-17 youth tournaments.
Increasing competitive imbalance andMaintenance of biennial FIFA U-20 World Cups (24 teams for

disparity in playing opportunities

both men and women) as a critical role in the “transition fromjunior to senior” stage of the talent pathway.

02

PROPOSEDSOLUTIONSAND NEW FIFA
CONCEPTS| 27

FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP

3.1 COMPETITIONPARAMETERS
Age category
The age category for these tournaments being under 20, the cut-off age for the 2023 edition of the men’s
tournament would be 1 January 2003, for example, whilst the cut-off age for the 2024 edition of the women’s
tournament would be 1 January 2004.
Format
The men’s tournament would remain at 24 teams, in the existing format, comprising a group stage of six groupsof four teams followed by a knockout stage commencing with a round of 16, resulting in a total of 52 matches. A
visual representation of the format is shown on the next page:

03

FIFA U-20
WORLD CUP

| 29

30 |

FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP

The women’s tournament would be expanded from 16 to 24 teams, applying the same format as for the men’s

Proposed 24-team tournament format

tournament and previous editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. For further information on the number ofmatches and each stage, please refer to the above description of the men’s tournament.

GROUP STAGE 36 MATCHESGroup AGroup B

Group CGroup DGroup EGroup F

Frequency
The FIFA U-20 World Cup (men’s and women’s) would take place on a biennial basis, maintaining the current
rhythm. They would also continue to take place in alternating years, with the men’s version played in odd years(i.e. 2023, 2025, 2027, etc.) and the women’s version in even years (i.e. 2024, 2026, 2028, etc.). See section 8 for the
event timing and implementation plan.
Qualification pathway
It is recommended that the overarching objective of the qualification pathways of the FIFA U-20 World Cup (men’s

Top two teams in eachgroup and four best
third-placed teams
proceedand women’s) would be to align as best as possible between the men’s and women’s tournaments to avoid any
disparity between the two.

KNOCKOUT 16 MATCHES

Every participating team would have from three to a maximum of seven matches per tournament
Team proceeding to next stage

Team eliminated

| 31

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP

3.2 OPERATIONAL
CONCEPT

Essentially, a minimum of three venues would be needed along with appropriate team training facilities andsufficient accommodation to cover all key constituent groups as listed above. The venue for the opening match
and/or final would require a larger stadium and, potentially, additional infrastructure to accommodate the FIFA

General concept

HQ, the referees, an IBCC (International Broadcast Coordination Centre), etc.

The operational concept for the current men’s and women’s FIFA U-20 World Cups is based on the use of multiple
venues across different cities, each of which contains various key sites: a stadium, training sites, hotels for key

Roles and responsibilities

constituent groups (teams, referees, FIFA staff, MA staff, VIPs/VVIPs, host broadcaster and MRLs (Media Rights

As explained above, the FIFA U-20 World Cups proposed as part of the new concept would not significantly differ

Licensees), Commercial Affiliates, hospitality programme participants), etc. The venue’s focal point is the stadium.

from those currently organised by FIFA. FIFA would work together with the host MA to jointly manage and deliver
the respective tournament.

As FIFA would continue to organise the U-20 World Cups under the new concept, it is anticipated that theoperational concept would remain a stadium-based model.
High-level infrastructure requirements
The table below summarises the minimum sporting infrastructure expected for these tournaments and its
related capacities.



  



Team facilities: shared training sites and accommodation
Referee facilities: training size + hotel as a pairing or as part of shared training
sites and accommodation  
Seating capacities:
Group stage, round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals: 5,000
Opening match and final: 15,000      12 training pitches
Minimum of one pitch for
2 teams
Team accomodation (shared)
Accomodation solution for
approx. 840 people (24 teams)

2 referee training
pitches

Referee hotel
Min. 150 guest
rooms

| 33

34 |

FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP

3.3 FINANCIAL
CONCEPT
Accordingly, FIFA has referred to current forecasts for the men’s and women’s FIFA U-20 World Cups as abenchmark to estimate the tournament budget for the two tournaments.
Based on these forecasts, it is estimated that the tournaments could each cost around USD 25m. Over afour-year cycle, this would amount to approximately USD 100m.
Table Estimate of tournament costs
IN USD

24-TEAM TOURNAMENTCOST DRIVERTOTALWorkforce

2,100,000

Stadium

4,000,000

Administration

1,100,000

Match operations

12,000,000

General operations

2,800,000

Team services

2,900,000

TOTAL

25,000,000

It should be noted that the tournament budget will depend on the location and size of the host country as wellas the number of stadiums used. Moreover, FIFA would identify further cost savings through sensible revisionsof the hosting requirements (not only fewer stadiums but also training sites, hotels, and other key sites, alongwith reduced technical requirements and service levels, etc.) and achieve operational efficiencies (i.e. more
centralised operations and fewer unused facilities). These modifications would be based on sound learnings
from recent editions of FIFA’s youth tournaments (e.g. the FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019™, FIFA U-20 World
Cup Poland 2019, FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018).
Furthermore, the FIFA U-20 World Cups could also be organised using a park-based (multi-pitch complex) model
instead of the current stadium-based model. Please note that the park-based model, which would also be
applied to the youth World Cups, is explained in further detail in the next section. It would enable further costsavings of around 44% to be achieved for a FIFA U-20 World Cup. Therefore, the cost of such a tournament could
be reduced to USD 14m. Over a four-year cycle, this would amount to approximately USD 56m.

| 35

YOUTH WORLD CUPS (U-18, U-17 AND U-16)

For ease of reference, the FIFA U-18, U-17 and U-16 World Cups are all referred to as “youth World Cups” in thissection, as all three tournaments would have the same format and similar requirements.

4.1 COMPETITIONPARAMETERS
Age category
The cut-off age for these tournaments would depend on the age category chosen for youth World Cups – pleaserefer to the proposals presented in section 5. For example, the cut-off age for the 2023 U-17 edition would be
1 January 2006.
Format
For the youth World Cups, the number of teams and format would be the same for men and women. Each
tournament would have 48 participating teams and be split into four mini-tournaments of 12 teams. The winnersof the mini-tournaments would play a final-four tournament to crown the champions of the respective youth
World Cup. A visual representation of a 48-team tournament format is provided below (including the final-four
tournament).

04

YOUTH
WORLD CUPS
U-18, U-17
AND U-16

| 37

38 |

FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

YOUTH WORLD CUPS (U-18, U-17 AND U-16)

The 48 participating teams would play in four 12-team mini-tournaments. Within each mini-tournament, theProposed 48-team tournament format

12 teams would be split into three groups of four (ensuring that each team plays at least three matches). The
three group winners as well as the best second-placed team would play in the semi-finals and final (knockout

MINI-TOURNAMENT 4 IN TOTALMINI-TOURNAMENT 1

stage). The winners of each mini-tournament would qualify for the final-four tournament (played in one of the

MINI-TOURNAMENT 2

locations that previously hosted a mini-tournament, on a rotation basis), which would consist of knockout-stage
matches only: semi-finals, play-off for third place and final. The winners of the final-four tournament would be


crowned champions of the relevant youth World Cup.



 
  




 
  

Each 48-team tournament would therefore comprise a total of 88 matches.
Frequency






These tournaments would take place on an annual basis, which would mean a men’s and a women’s youth World
Cup every year as a minimum.

MINI-TOURNAMENT 3

MINI-TOURNAMENT 4

Qualification pathway
A common theme throughout this paper, for both men’s and women’s youth competitions, is the inconsistency
in the confederations’ qualification pathways (excluding UEFA’s) to the respective FIFA youth tournaments. To
address this situation and achieve the goals of giving MAs more development and competitive opportunities,







 
  

 
  





      

FINAL-FOUR TOURNAMENT 4 MATCHES

Every participating team would have from three to a maximum of seven matches per tournament
Team proceeding to next stage
Team eliminatedIllustration Every participating team would have from 5 to a maximum of 8 matches per year. *Option of playing 3 groups of 4 teams reduction in the number of days and lower costs. **Each confederation below will host one of the four final-four tournaments

FIFA recommends implementing the following guidelines and minimum criteria to align the existing qualification
confederation pathways for the new youth World Cups:•

Organisation of an annual qualification tournament aligned with the respective annual FIFA tournament;•

Delivery of one group-stage and one final tournament (depending on confederation size);•No home-and-away match systems;•

A minimum of five matches for those teams qualifying from each confederation; and•A minimum of 50% of MAs participating in qualification tournaments in each respective confederation.

For further details, please refer to section 6.

| 39

FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

YOUTH WORLD CUPS (U-18, U-17 AND U-16)

4.2 OPERATIONAL
CONCEPT
General concept
The existing FIFA U-17 World Cups continue to evolve from edition to editionand have seen requirements and services levels revised and adapted moreto their purpose. This has involved utilising fewer and smaller venues,
shared training facilities and hotel accommodation, etc.
FIFA believes that this new concept presents an opportunity to further
develop the operational delivery of the competition by implementing
a new operational model that focuses on creating an environment for
high-performance youth football to flourish whilst providing an adequate
infrastructure that also leaves a valuable legacy for any potential host.
To that end, FIFA would propose to introduce a park-based model that would

DAYS

1

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

FINAL-FOUR
TOURNAMENT
14

15

16

17

M3
M4

B3:B4

and other matches. A hybrid model involving multi-pitch complexes

M5

3

C1:C2

M6

C3:C4

M8

M14

C1:C3

M9

A4:A2

M10

A1:A3

M11

B4:B2

M12

B1:B3

M15

M16

C4:C1

M24

1MT:3MT

M20

B4:B1
C2:C3

M22

1B:1C

M21

1A:2A/B/C

RU22:RU23

M23

W19:W20

M25

4MT:2MT

W22:W23

Rest day

B1:B2

M19

B2:B3

Rest dayyouth tournaments, where it has been observed that there are significant

M13

C4:C2

M2

A3:A4

2

M7

A1:A2

FIFA believes that this innovative approach is well suited to the nature ofdemands.

4

Rest day

M1

1and small stadiums would cater perfectly for different match types and3Team travel

PITCHES

shift to a small stadium located in or close to the multi-pitch complex.

differences in interest and attendance levels between high-profile matches

2

KNOCKOUT STAGE
MINI-TOURNAMENT

Rest dayfinal of the mini-tournament and the final-four tournament) would then

GROUP STAGE
MINI-TOURNAMENT

Rest daythe requirements on page 42). The latter stages of the tournament (i.e. the

STAGES

Rest daybe equipped with multiple pitches and other necessary infrastructure (seeRest daytake place at the same time and in the same location. The complex would

Table 12-team
tournament match
schedule

Rest daywould be held at one multi-pitch complex, with several matches able toRest dayuse multi-pitch complexes (including one small stadium). The tournament

Rest day

40 |

M17

A2:A3

M18

A4:A1

The next page shows a draft match schedule giving an indication of
how the new operational concept could be organised. It shows one

In the example above, the tournament would be played at a multi-pitch complex in one host city. Each multi-

mini-tournament (12 teams) at a time, followed by a final-four tournament.

pitch complex would have three pitches. The knockout stage of the mini-tournament, as well as the final-four

Therefore, a full 48-team tournament could be played within 17 days.

tournament, would be played on one of the pitches with stands (in the small stadium).

| 41

42 |

FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

YOUTH WORLD CUPS (U-18, U-17 AND U-16)

High-level infrastructure requirements

The key takeaways from this information are that:As the operational concept is different from the traditional stadium-based model, the high-level hosting
requirements require further consideration and would be defined at a later stage.

•

the requirements and service levels would have to be adapted to purpose of the respective tournament
and the key stakeholders attending it;

However, as a guideline, the table below summarises some of the key sporting infrastructure expected for these•

there is a great deal of flexibility in terms of combining and configuring sites;

tournaments and the relevant capacities:•

the tournament would be delivered in a cost-effective manner regarding the maximum participation ofteams and tournament frequency;•

for the selected hosts; and    •

Team facilities: shared training sites and accommodation
Referee facilities: training size + hotel as a pairing or as part of shared training
sites and accommodation
If possible, the multi-pitch complex should include pitches for matches
and training sessions
The multi-pitch complex should also have a central entertainment area (Fan Zone, F&B
concessions, hospitality, activations for Commercial Aﬀiliates, etc.). The complex
could also serve as a place where players get together (e.g. players’ lounge).
Various possibilities for courses, seminars, etc.

the expected initial investment for stitching is USD 300,000 per pitch (pitch reinforcement represents agood legacy investment for the host).

It should be noted that FIFA would look to target facilities that correspond with the requirements referenced
above, such as national training centres, club training centres, campuses, etc.
Roles and responsibilities
To deliver four mini-tournaments for each age category on an annual basis, FIFA will coordinate closely withthe confederations and host associations appointed. FIFA would guide and actively support the tournament
If two 12-team tournaments were combined, the number of pitches
required for matches would be three-stitched artificial pitches. If notstitched or artificial, six pitches would be required 


the pool of potential tournament hosts would increase and the infrastructure used would leave a legacy

preparations whilst acting as the operational lead in certain specific projects. The local staff would be contracted
to just deliver the tournament – 30 days per tournament. They would be reappointed for subsequent editions.



Critically, as it is FIFA’s objective to use these tournaments to leave a legacy for the host(s) and ensure capacity-

Suﬀicient space for the following permanent or temporary infrastructure forat least two pitches:building from both infrastructure and operational perspectives, it is envisaged that FIFA would be involved inStands with at least 1,000-2,000 seats (including installations for TV and media,
for two pitches)
Competition areas (minimum of six dressing rooms etc.)
Central operations area (oﬀices, broadcast compound, media centre, volunteer
centre, accreditation centre, etc.)
Security, access control


3+ training pitches
Three stitched or artificial pitches
required, or six normal pitches
Team accommodation (shared)
Accommodation solutions forapprox. 420 (12 teams)

2 referee training
pitches

Referee hotel
Min. 30 guest
rooms

The above infrastructure could be used for the mini-tournaments (12 teams)
as well as the final-four tournaments (4 teams)

the planning and delivery of any key construction work (particularly the multi-pitch complexes and training
facilities).

| 43

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FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

Further considerations
In addition to these considerations, the following operational impacts need to be taken into consideration:
•
•
•
•
•

YOUTH WORLD CUPS (U-18, U-17 AND U-16)

4.3 FINANCIAL
CONCEPT

Numerous services/projects currently in place for FIFA tournaments would be excluded or reduced:

As explained, FIFA’s new concept for the youth World Cups would see a sizeable expansion in the number ofpromotion and communications, ticketing, VAR, guest operations.

tournaments as well as participating teams. Moreover, section 4.2 outlines how FIFA would look to implement a

The transport services are limited to shuttle buses – ideally, the accommodation would be near the

new operational concept for the tournaments, moving away from a traditional stadium-based model to a hybrid

complex, i.e. within walking distance.

model that utilises a mixture of a multi-pitch complex and one small stadium.

TV operations: only one pitch for broadcasting purposes, other matches would be filmed from a single
camera position or by a handheld camera.

Therefore, the methodology for developing a forecast budget for each tournament includes assumptions

Advertising boards in a reduced format. There would be a unified brand (such as “FIFA youth tournaments”)

regarding key cost categories – team services, stadium, general operations, match operations, workforce, andwith the category and year adapted per tournament.

administration – that represent the most relevant expenses to deliver a tournament. Excluded from the budget

Referees would be expected to fly economy class (local league referees could be invited, for example, as

simulation are:candidates to become FIFA referees, if possible).
••

The use of the complex for more than two mini-tournaments could jeopardise its daily business and the•

VAR and other football technology initiatives;

activities of the football family, as the complex would not be available for most of the year.

•

training, workshops, seminars, etc. for elite referees or other officials/workforce members;

No spectators are foreseen in the traditional sense of the word. Additional activities could be explored, e.g.

•full TV production of every match;

Fan Fests/open days, technical workshops/seminars, FIFA Foundation activities, media days, etc.

•

extensive media coverage of the event;•full-scale marketing rights delivery; and•large-scale promotional activities.

Based on the above assumptions, a new youth World Cup, applying the park-based model, would have thefollowing costs:

Table Estimate of tournament costs
12-TEAM TOURNAMENT USD

FINAL FOUR USD

COST DRIVER

TOTAL

TOTAL

Workforce

725,000

182,250

Stadium

300,000

70,000Administration

125,000

72,500Match operations

170,000

60,000TV operations

490,000

180,000

Team services

992,000

267,200

Refereeing (no VAR)

300,000

73,500Reserve

100,000

100,000

3,202,000

1,005,450

TOTAL

| 45

46 |

FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

YOUTH WORLD CUPS (U-18, U-17 AND U-16)

ANNUAL COSTSPER 12-TEAMMINI-TOURNAMENTANNUAL COSTS PER FULL
48-TEAM TOURNAMENTINCLUDING FINAL-FOUR
TOURNAMENTANNUAL COSTS
OF TWO 48-TEAM
TOURNAMENTSCOSTS PER CYCLE
FOUR YEARSUSD 3.2m

USD 12.8m + 1m = USD 13.8m

USD 27.6m

USD 110.4m

Further cost savings could be achieved through the following synergies:•

Having two mini-tournaments at the same time in a confederation – e.g. youth World Cup for boys andgirls together;•

Distributing the mini-tournaments among the confederations to further reduce travel costs for the teams;
and/or•Using the same hubs for several years would significantly reduce the infrastructure costs of subsequent
editions.

Detailed budget calculations are available for consultation. However, an updated and refined budget exercise
would be conducted upon confirmation of the new concepts.

FOTO

| 47

PROPOSED AGE CATEGORIES

Based on section 4 about the new youth World Cups, two different options are proposed:    

Boys and girls – 48 teams
AnnualBoys and girls – 48 teams
Annual  

Boys and girls – 24 teams
Every two years  

Boys and girls – 24 teams
Every two years

For both proposals, FIFA would continue with its current format for the FIFA U-20 World Cups, increasing thenumber of teams from 16 to 24 for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
As per the current format, the tournaments should be alternated each year, with the U-20 women’s tournament
being played in even years (next edition in Costa Rica in 2022) and the U-20 men’s tournament in odd years (nextedition in 2023, with Indonesia confirmed as the host country). Both tournaments will continue to serve as themain global platform for players to transition to the senior competitions.
Core innovations in both above proposals are the introduction of a youth World Cup on an annual basis (samefor boys and girls) and an increase in the number of participating teams to 48 per event. The scenarios differ
depending on age category, one continuing with the current U-17 category (Proposal A), and the other proposing
the introduction of an additional age category at U-16 level and changing the existing U-17 category to a new
U-18 competition (Proposal B).

05

PROPOSED
AGE
CATEGORIESThe following table illustrates the impact of both options on the new youth tournament strategy. Both options
include switching to an annual tournament with a significantly increased number of participating teams andmatches played on an annual basis.

| 49

50 |

FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTSPROPOSED AGE CATEGORIES





 

FU17WC boys and girls

FU16WC boys and girls

FU20WC men/women

FU18WC boys and girls
FU20WC men/women

One U-20 tournament and two youth World Cups. Each youth World Cup would


consist of four 12-team mini-tournaments, followed by a final-four tournament(in total, eight mini-tournaments and two final-four tournaments every year).




See Proposal A, the diﬀerence being: 16 mini-tournaments and four final-four
tournaments every year.

FU17WC boys and girls – 48 teams

FU16WC boys and girls – 48 teams each

FU20WC men/women – 24 teams

FU18WC boys and girls – 48 teams eachIn the current model, 96 boys’ teams and 64 girls’ teams participate in FIFA youth

FU20WC men/women – 24 teams

tournaments over a four-year period. The proposed model would see 240 boys’




teams and 240 girls’ teams playing in the same period.




The proposed model would see 432 boys’ teams and 432 girls’ teams playing
in the same period.

FU16WC boys and girls – 176 matches (2 x 88) 

FU17WC girls and boys – 176 matches (2 x 88)

FU18WC boys and girls – 176 matches (2 x 88)

FU20WC men/women – 52 matches

FU20WC men/women – 52 matches

TOTAL: 228 matches 





TOTAL: 404 matches   

 In addition, if a park-based model were used for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, theSee Proposal A – a further cost reduction would be possible if the park-based

cost of that tournament could reduce to USD 14m.

model were used for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

| 51

QUALIFICATION PATHWAYSIn order to introduce the annual youth World Cups and establish minimum criteria for the confederation
pathways, FIFA may need to provide further support in case confederations do not have sufficient capacity or
resources to meet these enhanced requirements or the minimum criteria to align their qualification pathways.
One approach could be giving each MA an additional amount for participating in the qualifiers, as well as
extra funding for each organising MA. These amounts would be approved strictly upon participation in thequalification stage and would fall under the new cycle, FIFA Forward 3.0. An updated and more precise budget
exercise would be conducted upon confirmation of the qualification pathways with the confederations.
Following the example of FIFA’s new format for youth World Cups (confederations playing their qualifiers in amini-tournament format) would allow confederations to shorten their qualification stages. For example, withina confederation, neighbouring countries could play a regional mini-tournament, including a short knockout
stage, competing for a slot in one of FIFA’s new youth World Cups. Playing these mini-tournaments throughout
the continent would make it possible to finish the qualification stage within a maximum of two windows, one
for the group stage of the mini-tournament (approximately six days, including rest days) and one window for the
knockout stage (approximately three days, including rest days). In addition, further synergies could be achieved
if two qualifying mini-tournaments were played at the same time in one location (e.g. boys and girls played
simultaneously). Such an approach would be in line with FIFA’s recommendation of introducing minimum
criteria to align the existing qualification confederation pathways for the new youth World Cups.

06

QUALIFICATIONPATHWAYS| 53

DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION AT MA LEVEL

The proposed expansion of FIFA youth tournaments in terms of frequency (annual instead of biennial) andthe potential increase in the number of participating teams would have a huge impact on the MAs’ talentdevelopment structures.
So far, the MAs participating in all FIFA youth tournaments have prepared their national teams for eight World
Cups within a FIFA cycle (two U-17 World Cups for boys and girls) and two U-20 World Cups (men and women).
With the introduction of the proposed new concepts, this would increase considerably (12 tournaments in
Proposal A, 20 tournaments in Proposal B).
Further financial resources would be needed at MA level to meet this increased demand, including additional
resources for organisation (travel, team management, etc.) and for technical support (coaches, medical
personnel, etc.).
In addition, many MAs would need to optimise and expand their talent scouting and development structures to
identify and nurture suitably talented players for the national teams and thus ensure the global competitivenessof the new youth competition structure. To assess and understand the scale of the needs and demands in thisarea, FIFA’s Technical Development Division conducted an 18-month global ecosystem analysis in 2020 and 2021
that provided a clear insight into the state of global talent development as well as an assessment of the individual
landscapes of the 205 MAs that took part. This has created a clear picture of how each MA can be supported toreach its full potential through distinct talent pathways and by giving every individual talent a chance.
FIFA will use the findings of this analysis to launch a Talent Development Scheme (TDS) that will provide each
MA with the resources and structure needed to deliver a state-of-the-art and tailor-made talent development
programme. This bespoke programme and guidance will be delivered by leading specialists in their respective
talent development fields and foster the requisite long-term commitment and collaboration between FIFA andthe MAs through to the end of the 2026 cycle.

07

As well as this, the TDS will leverage the increase in youth competitions to host regional youth summits around

DEVELOPMENTAND EXPANSION
AT MA LEVEL

the competitions to educate, discuss and collaborate on elite youth performance, thus providing an educational
legacy that will build the talent development capacity among MAs. These events will aim to increase theknowledge of what it means to participate at the highest level, helping MAs prepare for them with a view toincreasing both participation and preparation levels. They will be supported by biennial global conferences andthe creation of knowledge-sharing groups across FIFA’s MAs.

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EVENT TIMING AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

To optimise the streamlining of the respective qualification processes and facilitate the successful planning anddelivery of the final tournaments, FIFA proposes that the new youth tournaments be delivered in specific periods
throughout the year, starting with the implementation of the strategy from 2024 (see timelines on the following
pages). This would allow for a period in which to fine-tune the operational model and highlight the new concept
to the relevant stakeholders. It is also recommended that each host be appointed at least two years before thetournament, along with multiple (or consecutive) appointments.

08

EVENT TIMING AND
IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN

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58 |

FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

EVENT TIMING AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

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FIFA U-18 World Cup

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Women’s World Cup

Women’s World Cup

Women’s World Cup

Women’s World Cup

Women’s World Cup

Women’s World Cup

India(TEST EVENT)

India

FIFA U-18

FIFA U-18

FIFA U-20

FIFA U-20

FIFA U-20

Women’s World Cup

Women’s World Cup

Women’s World Cup

Women’s World Cup

Women’s World Cup(TEST EVENT)

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FIFA proposes to start with the implementation of the strategy from 2024, allowing for a period in which to finetune the operational model and highlight the new concept to the relevant stakeholders.

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HOST APPOINTMENT STRATEGYAs previously outlined in the paper, FIFA’s proposed new youth tournament concepts would involve the deliveryof three or five annual youth tournaments for both sexes – most of them split into several mini-tournaments.
This, combined with the simplified hosting requirements, would provide many more opportunities for MAs to be
involved in organising a FIFA event.
It is one of FIFA’s objectives to use its tournaments to develop the game in all corners of the world. Staging its
tournaments in various regions helps to achieve this, as they promote the game and raise its profile locally aswell as the teams and players involved, in addition to ensuring capacity-building and legacy at infrastructuraland operational levels, etc.
In line with this objective, FIFA would spread the hosting opportunities for the tournaments as widely as possible
to strike the right balance between supporting MAs that have never previously hosted a FIFA tournament andthose that have made progress towards hosting one of FIFA’s senior competitions, always guaranteeing that therequirements are met to deliver an amazing experience for all those involved.
To achieve this, FIFA would endeavour to implement a blend of the following processes:•

Dynamic bidding/host selection processes with simplified requirements and evaluation models geared
towards the objectives of the respective tournament and the development opportunities presented byeach candidate•

Targeted hosting, in which hosting opportunities are identified and explored directly at regional andnational levels based on specific criteria (e.g. the football context, development objectives, existing orplanned infrastructure, security, etc.)

In the short term (i.e. in one to two years following approval of the new concept), the primary focus would be on
appointing hosts that have the necessary infrastructure to meet the hosting requirements for each tournament.
In parallel, FIFA would continue to work closely with MAs to examine their development objectives and how

09

hosting such tournaments would dovetail with their plans over the medium to long term.

HOST
APPOINTMENTSTRATEGY| 61

ANNEXE

ANNEXE
A. THE HISTORY OF FIFA’S YOUTH TOURNAMENTS
The men’s U-20 and U-17 tournaments were first established in 1977 and 1985 respectively and currently
involve 24 teams (expanded from 16 to 24 teams in 1997 and 2007 respectively). In contrast, the women’s
youth competitions were launched later, with the U-20 tournament inaugurated in 2002 followed by the U-17
tournament in 2008. Both competitions currently apply a 16-team format.
In terms of frequency, the men’s and women’s youth competitions are delivered on a biennial basis, with the
men’s organised in odd years and the women’s in even years (see the table below).

COMPETITION

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021 2022

FIFA WOMEN’S U-17 WORLD CUP









FIFA WOMEN’S U-20 WORLD CUP









FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP









FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP









B. FIFA PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY
U-6 to U-11: accessibility to footballThrough grassroots football, young children are introduced to football for the first time. Participation
opportunities (regular training and games) are organised by schools and clubs, with governments and regional
associations acting as key stakeholders during these ages of development. Critical factors:

ANNEXE•

Grassroots football is crucial to developing a sizeable talent pool for the future.

•

There can be a regional disparity in terms of access to the game.

•

Development-oriented competition formats (pitch size, duration of game, number of players, etc.) are
important to encourage enjoyment and increase ball contact.

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64 |

FUTURE OF FOOTBALL: YOUTH TOURNAMENTS

ANNEXE

U-12 to U-15: preparation for competitive youth footballOver-18: professional footballDuring this phase, MAs start to implement a talent identification and selection process for the first time at

The level and frequency of competition can have a huge impact on the development of talented youngsters.

regional and national levels. This leads to giving talented youngsters their first exposure to international training

Once they reach the level of senior professional football, it is essential that they are exposed to regular andcamps and friendly matches. Critical factors:

guaranteed playing time. At senior professional level, MAs must continue to scout and identify talent as well aswork with the parent clubs to build a supportive relationship, with the focus on the player. MAs continue to play•

There can be a remarkably high impact of relative age effect.

an important role in organising regular international training and playing opportunities in order to maximise•

MAs must be aware of the impact of growth and maturation and how this is monitored through talent

their chances of success at major international competitions. Critical factors:

identification.
•

Globally, there is a low likelihood of talent prognosis.

•

Potential to offer national team shadow squads to broaden the talent pool.

•

welfare of the player.
•

U-16 to U-18: high-performance youth football
MAs need to have a strong focus on talent promotion within their national youth teams in order to support the
progress of the best players across the country. Here, players will experience major competitions and tournament
football at confederation and global levels for the first time. Critical factors:•

During this phase, only a small percentage of talents play in senior teams at professional level. This creates
fewer problems with the release of players outside FIFA windows.

•

There is a higher likelihood of spotting talent, so having a talent ID system and selection process that
include growth and maturation is essential.

•

Such initiatives as shadow squads and futures programmes are key to broadening the talent pool to latedevelopers.

•

As contact time at national level increases, it is important to provide support for players’ education
affected by days missed.

U-18 to U-23: transition from junior to senior
These talents cannot be seen as fully fledged senior players – there must be a continued focus on individual
player development. For such players, there is a need to provide competitive playing opportunities for those on
the cusp of senior football. Here, MAs play a key role in providing youth national team competitions at global
level to extend the development of this talented cohort of players. Critical factors:•

The most talented players already play in senior teams at professional level, which can present issues
when it comes to releasing them.

•

Even in this age group, there must be an understanding of growth and maturation and the support required
for late developers as part of the talent ID and selection process.

•

It is important to continue supporting initiatives such as shadow squads and a futures programme tobroaden the talent pool.

•

Holistic education and support are crucial for the player’s welfare during this difficult transitional phase.

Performance frameworks and sufficient infrastructure must be available to support and safeguard theInternational playing opportunities offer further development opportunities to the best talents.

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