The draw for the U-20 World Championship has taken place: intense competition is expected in the groups!
The draw ceremony for the prestigious youth football tournament – the FIFA U-20 World Cup, held every two years, has taken place. This year's competition will be the 24th tournament and will take place in one of the beautiful countries of South America – Chile, from September 27 to October 19.
Stadiums hosting the competition
This year, four modern stadiums in Chile will host the youth World Cup:
- Estadio Nacional (city: Santiago, capacity: 48,000)
- Estadio El Teniente (city: Rancagua, capacity: 14,000)
- Estadio Elías (city: Valparaíso, capacity: 20,000)
- Estadio Fiscal de Talca (city: Talca, capacity: 16,000)
In these stadiums, young football players from various corners of the world will showcase their talents and compete for victory in front of thousands of fans.
Group compositions: strong rivals face each other
During the draw ceremony, 24 national teams were divided into six groups. The group compositions are as follows:
Group A: Chile (host), Egypt, Japan, New Zealand.
Group B: South Korea, Panama, Paraguay, Ukraine.
Group C: Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, Spain.
Group D: Argentina, Australia, Cuba, Italy.
Group E: France, New Caledonia, South Africa, USA.
Group F: Colombia, Nigeria, Norway, Saudi Arabia.
According to the tournament format, the top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the next knockout stage. This indicates that the battles in the groups will be even more intense and fierce.
A serious test for Asian teams
This year's World Cup will feature four teams from the Asian continent: Australia, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and South Korea.
The Australian U-20 national team confidently advanced to the World Cup after winning the U-20 Asian Championship. They will compete in a group with Argentina, which has been champion six times in its history, as well as Italy and Cuba. This is expected to be a significant test for the Australian youth.
Saudi Arabia will participate in the youth World Cup for the tenth time in its history. The Saudis will face Colombia, Norway, and Nigeria in Group F. Their goal this time is to advance to the higher stages.
Japan, which reached the final of the U-20 World Cup in 1999, will participate in the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time. The Japanese youth will face host Chile, as well as New Zealand and Egypt, aiming for their first championship in history.
The South Korean national team is also one of the strongest representatives of Asia. They will try to advance from the group by competing against Ukraine, Panama, and Paraguay.
The youth World Cup has always been a tournament that discovers new stars for football fans, filled with amazing goals and bright games. This year, it is certain to surprise fans with unique battles, intriguing games, and unexpected results in the world football arena.
