Doha, November 20 (QNA) – The quarterfinals of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 kick off on Friday, and will continue until Nov.27.

The Aspire Zone complex will host four matches to determine the teams that will secure a place in the semifinals.

The quarterfinals feature four European teams: Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and Portugal.

Africa is represented by Morocco and Burkina Faso, along with one team each from South America (Brazil) and Asia (Japan).

The eight teams are aiming to take a step closer to competing for the championship title.

Morocco, the sole representative of Arab football and the team with the highest score in the tournament so far after their resounding 16-0 victory over New Caledonia, will face four-time champions Brazil at the Mansour Muftah Stadium.

Brazil reached this stage by defeating 2001 champions France 4-3 on penalties, while Morocco overcame Mali 3-2.

Italy hope to continue their successful run in the tournament when they take on Burkina Faso at the Khalid Ballan Stadium.

Italy defeated Uzbekistan 3-2 in the previous round, while Burkina Faso overcame Uganda 5-3 on penalties.

Portugal, which eliminated Mexico in the previous round, will meet Switzerland, which defeated Ireland 3-1 in the round of 16, at the Ibrahim Khalfan Stadium.

The Swiss national team hope to keep their title hopes alive, having won the tournament only once before, in 2009.

The Japanese national team, which needed penalties in the previous round to overcome North Korea, faces a tough test against Austria at Khalid Salman Stadium.

This is only the second time Japan has reached the quarterfinals in 11 appearances, the first being in its debut tournament in 1993.

Austria, making their third World Cup appearance, overcame England, the 2017 champions, in the previous round with a resounding 4-0 victory.

Following the quarterfinals, the qualified teams will have a rest day on November 22nd and 23rd before resuming play with the semifinals.

Two more rest days will follow on November 25th and 26th, before the final and third-place match take place on Nov. 27.

The current edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup features 48 teams for the first time in the tournament's history, and this edition is the first of five consecutive editions to be hosted by Qatar until 2029. (QNA)