Doha, November 11 (QNA) - With less than 10 days until the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026, nine participating teams have begun arriving in Doha, the Local Organizing Committee said Wednesday.

A total of 48 teams will compete for the coveted trophy across 104 matches held from Nov. 19 to Dec. 13.

Saudi Arabia, Cameroon, China, New Caledonia, Honduras, New Zealand, Vietnam, Republic of Korea, and Costa Rica are amongst the teams that have already arrived, with more making their way in the coming days.

In this context, the Local Organizing Committee is organizing a trophy tour on Thursday at Wadi Msheireb Square in the Msheireb district, from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, as part of the promotional events accompanying the tournament.

The trophy tour provides media outlets with an opportunity to conduct interviews with a spokesperson from the Local Organizing Committee and a number of junior players, alongside the attendance of Serbian coach Bora Milutinović, who previously managed five different national teams in the FIFA World Cup finals in an exceptional coaching career.

The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 will take place at the Competition Complex in Aspire Zone, transforming the venue into a vibrant football hub with up to eight matches a day during the group stage and Round of 32. The tournament’s unique centralised format proved to be a success in 2025, particularly for international scouts, who were able to observe emerging talents from a single venue.

Hosts Qatar will play their first match of the tournament against Panama on Thursday, Nov. 19, in Aspire Zone. The Final will take place at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on Dec. 13. (QNA)