Following a meticulous and comprehensive selection process, FIFA has announced the list of match officials who will oversee matches at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup™ in 2026.

These appointments were eagerly anticipated, coming just a year before the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027™, the biggest event in international women’s football. The selections for these U-20 and U-17 tournaments also form part of FIFA’s ongoing support programme for the development of match officials.

During these youth tournaments, match officials will gain valuable experience on the international stage. FIFA has worked closely with the confederations and Member Associations throughout the process, with a focus on building and developing officiating trios together. As a result, some highly experienced officials may not have been selected for these youth tournaments but remain part of the broader preparations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™.

“We congratulate the match officials selected for these two important tournaments in the women’s football calendar,” said Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer and chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee.

“As we build towards the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil, these competitions will provide an ideal opportunity to assess progress, both on the pitch and with the use of supporting technology. The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will use VAR to assist match officials, while the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will use Football Video Support.”

Bibiana Steinhaus-Webb, FIFA’s Head of Women’s Refereeing, added: “These are important youth competitions in their own right, but they also provide a valuable opportunity to prepare for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil. The selected groups include a great mix of highly experienced officials and promising young talents, helping to ensure knowledge transfer, build a lasting legacy and strengthen Team One ahead of 2027.”

The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will be hosted in Poland in September and will feature 24 teams. The tournament will include 36 group-stage matches and 52 matches in total, played across four Host Cities. A total of 68 match officials have been appointed for the competition, comprising 18 referees, 36 assistant referees (all female) and 14 video match officials (ten female and four male).

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will be played in Morocco in October and November, and will also feature 24 teams. The tournament will consist of 36 group-stage matches and 52 matches in total, all of which will be played in Rabat. For this competition, FIFA has selected a total of 54 match officials (all female), including 18 referees and 36 assistant referees.