SALÉ, Morocco — The 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup opened in spectacular fashion across Morocco on October 17–19, 2026, with hosts Morocco beating New Zealand 4-0 in the tournament's opening match and the United States recording the biggest win in the competition's history — a 17-0 demolition of Samoa on October 19, powered by six goals from Maddie DiMaria, FIFA and U.S. Soccer confirmed.
Illustration: the Moroccan U-17 women's team celebrating a goal together in a packed stadium under floodlights, Moroccan flags waving.
What Happened
Host nation Morocco kicked off the tournament at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Salé on Saturday, October 17, defeating New Zealand 4-0 in their Group A opener, according to match reports from the Oceania Football Confederation and Sportradar. After a scoreless first half in which New Zealand goalkeeper Nienke Holland frustrated wave after wave of Moroccan attacks, Eintracht Frankfurt forward Sonia Abajiou broke the deadlock with a header in the 57th minute. A double deflection led to an own goal by New Zealand captain Eden Chaytor in the 70th minute, before Imane Dhissi (76') and a Hiba Youssoufi penalty (82') completed the scoring. Morocco registered 39 attempts on goal to New Zealand's two.
Two days later, the United States produced a scoreline for the ages. The U.S. U-17 women's national team beat Samoa 17-0 in their Group E opener at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé on October 19, with Maddie DiMaria scoring six goals to set four program records, U.S. Soccer reported. The 17-0 margin matches the largest win in U-17 Women's World Cup history. The Americans led 9-0 at halftime; Mia Corona, Loradana Paletta (two), Grace Murray, Amari Manning, Deus Stanislaus, Carolina Reyna (two), Isa Ortiz, Meila Brewer, and Gianna Hanf also found the net in front of 682 spectators.
The full scoring sequence underlined the scale of the American performance. DiMaria opened the scoring in the 2nd minute and added goals in the 18th, 20th, 30th, 70th, and 73rd minutes — a double hat-trick that makes her an early favorite for the tournament's Golden Boot. Paletta was directly involved in four first-half goals, scoring twice and assisting Manning and DiMaria, while Carolina Reyna netted twice in the second half and capped her night by assisting Meila Brewer's 87th-minute strike. For all but 2025 veterans DiMaria and Brewer, it was a World Cup debut.
Elsewhere on the opening weekend, defending champions Korea DPR thrashed Puerto Rico 6-0, Germany came from behind to beat Argentina 2-1 in Group A, Poland defeated Nigeria's Flamingos 2-1 in Group B, and China beat Kenya 3-0 in Group E, per opening-weekend roundups. Germany's comeback was particularly dramatic: after Mercedes Diz gave tournament debutants Argentina a 9th-minute lead, captain Johanna Hebben equalized in the 25th minute, Oriana Bralo was sent off shortly before halftime after a video review, and Mia Kuhn struck the winner in the 52nd minute with the numerical advantage.
Illustration: a USA youth women's football striker in white striking a ball into the goal net under stadium floodlights.
Background
The 2026 edition is the ninth FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and the first to be hosted by Morocco, running from October 17 to November 8, 2026. The tournament features 24 teams, with the group stage concluding on October 25 before the knockout rounds begin. Morocco's hosting continues the country's rapid rise as a football destination: it has staged the men's Africa Cup of Nations and will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
The expanded youth women's game has produced lopsided openers before, but the United States' 17-0 result still stands out as a historic margin. Samoa, appearing at only their second U-17 World Cup after finishing runners-up to New Zealand at the 2025 OFC U-16 Women's Championship, face China on October 23 and Kenya to complete their Group E program. New Zealand — one of only two nations to have appeared in every edition of the tournament — play Argentina next before meeting Germany.
Morocco's win carried extra weight: it was the host nation's third-ever victory at a FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, earned in front of an expectant home crowd at a facility named after the country's king. The Young Football Ferns, by contrast, must now regroup: one of only two nations to have appeared in every edition of the tournament, New Zealand face Argentina next before a difficult closing group game against Germany — a path that leaves little margin for error.
China opened Group E with a composed 3-0 win over Kenya, with Yue Xu opening the scoring in the 12th minute and Xiaotang striking twice in three minutes after the break (50', 53'). The result leaves Group E delicately poised behind the runaway Americans: China and Kenya now contest what looks like a straight fight for the group's second automatic knockout berth, with Samoa facing an uphill battle after the record defeat.
Why It Matters
Youth tournaments like this one are the clearest window into the future of women's football. The U-17 Women's World Cup has launched the careers of countless senior internationals, and performances in Morocco will shape national-team pipelines for the 2027 Women's World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. A star like DiMaria, already a 2025-edition veteran, is exactly the kind of player scouts and senior coaches will be tracking closely.
For Morocco, the tournament is about more than football. Hosting the U-17 World Cup is a dress rehearsal for far bigger events — the kingdom is positioning itself as Africa's premier football hub, and a deep run by the home team would electrify the investment case for the 2030 World Cup build-up. The opening-night attendance and atmosphere at the Mohammed VI Academy suggest the public is buying in.
The huge scorelines also reopen an old debate about competitive balance in youth football. Defenders of the format argue that exposure against elite opposition is precisely how smaller nations like Samoa develop; critics say 17-0 scorelines help nobody. Either way, the results guarantee the conversation will run through the group stage.
Illustration: a golden football championship trophy glowing on a podium before a Moroccan stadium at dusk.
What Happens Next
The group stage continues through October 25. Morocco's next fixtures will determine whether they top Group A ahead of Germany and Argentina; New Zealand must regroup quickly against Argentina to keep knockout hopes alive. In Group E, the United States — now sitting on a +17 goal difference — look all but certain to advance, while China and Kenya fight for the second automatic spot.
The knockout stage begins in late October, with the final scheduled for November 8. Korea DPR arrive as defending champions and the team to beat after their 6-0 statement, but the United States, Germany, and the host nation have all laid down early markers. If the opening weekend is any guide, Morocco 2026 could be the most entertaining edition of the tournament yet.
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FAQ
When and where is the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup being played?
The tournament runs from October 17 to November 8, 2026, hosted by Morocco, with matches played at venues including the Mohammed VI Football Academy and Complex in Salé. Twenty-four teams are competing, with the group stage ending October 25.
What happened in the United States vs Samoa match?
The United States won 17-0 on October 19, 2026 — the joint-largest margin in tournament history. Maddie DiMaria scored six goals and set four U-17 program records, according to U.S. Soccer.
How did host nation Morocco start the tournament?
Morocco beat New Zealand 4-0 in the opening match on October 17, with goals from Sonia Abajiou, an Eden Chaytor own goal, Imane Dhissi, and a Hiba Youssoufi penalty — their third-ever win at the tournament.
Who are the defending champions?
Korea DPR won the previous edition and opened their title defense with a 6-0 victory over Puerto Rico on October 17.
Why does this tournament matter for women's football?
The U-17 World Cup is a key development stage and scouting ground for senior national teams, with standout players often graduating to the Women's World Cup and Olympic squads within a few years.
Sources
- U.S. Soccer, October 19/20, 2026 — U.S. U-17 women roll past Samoa 17-0; Maddie DiMaria six goals and four records (scoring summary, attendance 682, venue Mohammed VI Football Complex, Salé).
- Friends of Football (New Zealand), October 18, 2026 — Morocco 4-0 New Zealand match report (scorers, group table, stats 39 shots vs 2).
- Oceania Football Confederation, October 17, 2026 — New Zealand undone by second-half surge; Morocco's third World Cup win.
- Nigfooty, October 18, 2026 — Opening-day roundup: Korea DPR 6-0 Puerto Rico, Germany 2-1 Argentina, Poland 2-1 Nigeria.
- Sportradar / Elbotola, October 17, 2026 — Morocco vs New Zealand 4-0 match data (goal times, line-ups).
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