SportsPosted at: Nov 10 2026 11:04PM


FIFA study highlights rising standards and China's progress at U-17 Women's World Cup

Beijing, Nov 10 (UNI) The FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2026 showcased improved standards of play and encouraging progress by several national teams, according to the tournament's Technical Study Group (TSG).

Nigeria beat Japan 2-1 in Saturday's final to claim its maiden U-17 Women's World Cup title, becoming the first African nation to lift the trophy.
The tournament was held in Rabat, Morocco, for the second consecutive year after FIFA made it an annual competition in 2025 and expanded the field to 24 teams.
Tihana Nemcic Bojic, a TSG member and former Croatia international, identified a more attack-minded approach as one of the tournament's main technical and tactical trends.
"What was the most interesting for me? It probably was one versus one situation in wide areas," she told Xinhua in a recent video interview.
"I would highlight the courage and willingness of players to use one versus one situation, by their body positions, first touch, different technical styles and elements they are using.
"I connect it with the different team roles, becoming from starting with goalkeepers who have intention to play along, going to midfields who rotate a lot to create for these wing positions,
and the center forward position that also changes the role. They are putting the ball faster to the
final third." Statistics compiled by the TSG ahead of the final supported Bojic's assessment.
The number of completed crosses increased by four percent compared with 2025, while passes from wide areas into the penalty area rose by 37 percent. Crosses were also delivered closer to the goal line, resulting in more cutbacks, while attempts on goal from crosses increased significantly.
Pascal Zuberbuhler, a former Switzerland goalkeeper and FIFA Senior Football Expert who led the TSG, said the tournament demonstrated the efforts clubs and national associations were making to develop goalkeepers in women's football.
"They need to be courageous. They need to see where in possession and where they need to bring the ball. They are able to bring the ball there. They can deliver a ball to teammates by a through pass or even an overhead pass. And that was great to see on this," he said in the interview.
According to TSG figures, goalkeepers played more aerial passes and achieved higher completion rates. The proportion of goalkeeper passes played "into" and "onto" their targets also increased.
Goalkeepers also demonstrated improvements in their use of the "X-block," a technique in which they spread their arms and legs to block close-range shots. Both the number of successful X-blocks and the save rate increased compared with 2025, reflecting improved judgment of when and how to execute the technique.
Zuberbuhler singled out China's goalkeeper Niu Ziqi for her long-range distribution and ability to connect with teammates.
"They are very good in this situation to bring a long ball. And she was so able to pass it to an onto ball or even a behind ball. She has a fantastic long kick, and she knows exactly where to play," he said.
Niu saved two penalties against France to help China win a shootout 4-3 following a goalless draw, sending the team into the quarterfinals for the first time at the U-17 Women's World Cup. China thus surpassed its previous best performance of reaching the round of 16 in 2025.
Bojic, who has extensive coaching experience, said she was impressed by China's ability to prepare for different opponents and make pragmatic adjustments to its formation and game plan.
"This is probably one of the things they are progressed in most as a team. And they were very pragmatic in using their good defensive block with the very nice counter-attacks and beautiful goals," she said.
"I would say the high quality of defending lines, and also the three attacking players. The left side player (Wu Yichen) is very fast. And the center forward (Fang Zhenzhu) is receiving balls and protecting the space for others. Their games were very well tactically prepared."
Bojic also praised China's 38-year-old coach Ma Xiaoxu, one of 20 promising female coaches enrolled in the third edition of FIFA's 18-month Elite Performance: Coach Mentorship Programme.
"The coach is running the team in a very open way. She is ambitious to try certain things and to develop her players not only chasing the result. And that's why the result came for them," she said.
"So, for me, it is a very positive example of China, and I'm very happy to see them progressing in this place." Bojic also highlighted the diversity of playing styles on display, saying there was no single approach or formation that guaranteed success.
"You need to use the playing style that is related to your nature, character, what you are prepared and what you believe in," she said. Under Ma, China topped Group E with three wins from three matches, defeating Kenya 3-0, Samoa 7-0 and the United States 3-2.

China then edged France on penalties in the round of 16 before losing 2-1 to Brazil in the quarterfinals.
A traditional powerhouse in women's football, China finished runner-up at the 1996 Olympic Games and the 1999 Women's World Cup. However, its standing in the women's game has declined over the past decades, with the senior national team hovering between 15th and 20th in the FIFA rankings in recent years.
The junior team's progress is seen as an encouraging sign for the rebuilding of the senior national team. China's U-20 side also reached the knockout stage at this year's U-20 Women's World Cup.
"If I go a little bit step forward, that is how these players grow to the next step in U-20 squad and then in the senior level. This pathway is interesting to follow," said Zuberbuhler.
"You see, the talent is here. We see it is very clear, the talent, the strategy, the coaching flexibility. Everything is perfect and everything looks very good."
TSG specialists emphasized that holding the competition annually offered significant developmental benefits for young players, exposing them to different playing styles and higher levels of intensity at an early age.
"They have the opportunity to be in the international competition every year, which gives them
a stimulation that they probably cannot have in a domestic competition," said Bojic.
"They will have to learn how to behave, how to win against different playing styles, players, behaviors, cultures, elements that are prevailing. There is no greater school for players than
this one."
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