The FIFA U-20 World Cup is the biennial football world championship tournament for FIFA members’ men's national teams with players under the age of 20. The competition has been staged every two years since the inaugural tournament in 1977 when it was hosted by Tunisia[1] under the tournament name of FIFA World Youth Championship until 2005.[2] In 2007 the name was changed to its present form. FIFA bills the men's Under-20 World Cup as "the tournament of tomorrow's superstars."[3] Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Paul Pogba are previous winners of the official player of the tournament award, and Erling Haaland was the top scorer at the 2019 edition. The current title holder is Uruguay, which won its first title at the 2023 tournament in Argentina.

Quick Facts Organising body, Founded ...
FIFA U-20 World Cup
The trophy awarded since 2013
Organising bodyFIFA
Founded1977; 47 years ago (1977)
RegionWorldwide
Number of teams24 (finals)
Related competitionsFIFA World Cup
Current champions Uruguay (1st title)
Most successful team(s) Argentina (6 titles)
WebsiteFIFA U-20 World Cup
2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup
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History

In the twenty-three editions of the tournament held, twelve nations have won the title. Argentina U20 is the most successful team with six titles, followed by Brazil U20 with five titles. Portugal U20 and Serbia U20 have both won two titles (with the latter winning once as Yugoslavia U20), while Ghana U20, Germany U20, Spain U20, France U20, England U20, Ukraine U20, Russia U20 (as the USSR U20) and Uruguay U20 have won the title once each.[citation needed]

A corresponding event for women's teams, the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, began in 2002 with the name "FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship" and an age limit of 19. The age limit for the women's competition was changed to 20 beginning with the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship, and the competition was renamed as a "World Cup" in 2007 in preparation for the 2008 event. The next edition is planned to be held in 2025 in Chile.

Qualification

24 national teams appear in the final tournament. 23 countries, including the defending champion, have to qualify in the youth championships of the six confederations. The host country automatically qualifies.

Results

  • 1977–2005: "FIFA World Youth Championship"
  • 2007–present: "FIFA U-20 World Cup"
  • a.e.t.: after extra time
  • p: match won on penalties
More information Ed., Year ...
Ed. Year Host Final Third place match
teams
1st place, gold medalist(s) Champions Score 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runners-up 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Third place Score Fourth place
1 1977  Tunisia
Soviet Union
2–2 (a.e.t.)
(9–8 p)

Mexico

Brazil
4–0
Uruguay
16
2 1979  Japan
Argentina
3–1
Soviet Union

Uruguay
1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–3 p)

Poland
16
3 1981  Australia
West Germany
4–0
Qatar

Romania
1–0
England
16
4 1983  Mexico
Brazil
1–0
Argentina

Poland
2–1 (a.e.t.)
South Korea
16
5 1985  Soviet Union
Brazil
1–0 (a.e.t.)
Spain

Nigeria
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(3–1 p)

Soviet Union
16
6 1987  Chile
Yugoslavia
1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)

West Germany

East Germany
1–1 (a.e.t.)
(3–1 p)

Chile
16
7 1989  Saudi Arabia
Portugal
2–0
Nigeria

Brazil
2–0
United States
16
8 1991  Portugal
Portugal
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–2 p)

Brazil

Soviet Union
1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)

Australia
16
9 1993  Australia
Brazil
2–1
Ghana

England
2–1
Australia
16
10 1995  Qatar
Argentina
2–0
Brazil

Portugal
3–2
Spain
16
11 1997  Malaysia
Argentina
2–1
Uruguay

Republic of Ireland
2–1
Ghana
24
12 1999  Nigeria
Spain
4–0
Japan

Mali
1–0
Uruguay
24
13 2001  Argentina
Argentina
3–0
Ghana

Egypt
1–0
Paraguay
24
14 2003  United Arab Emirates
Brazil
1–0
Spain

Colombia
2–1
Argentina
24
15 2005  Netherlands
Argentina
2–1
Nigeria

Brazil
2–1
Morocco
24
16 2007  Canada
Argentina
2–1
Czech Republic

Chile
1–0
Austria
24
17 2009  Egypt
Ghana
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–3 p)

Brazil

Hungary
1–1 (a.e.t.)
(2–0 p)

Costa Rica
24
18 2011  Colombia
Brazil
3–2 (a.e.t.)
Portugal

Mexico
3–1
France
24
19 2013  Turkey
France
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–1 p)

Uruguay

Ghana
3–0
Iraq
24
20 2015  New Zealand
Serbia
2–1 (a.e.t.)
Brazil

Mali
3–1
Senegal
24
21 2017  South Korea
England
1–0
Venezuela

Italy
0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–1 p)

Uruguay
24
22 2019  Poland
Ukraine
3–1
South Korea

Ecuador
1–0 (a.e.t.)
Italy
24
23 2023  Argentina
Uruguay
1–0
Italy

Israel
3–1
South Korea
24
24 2025  Chile 24
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Teams reaching the top four

More information Team, Titles ...
Team Titles Runners-up Third place Fourth place
 Argentina 6 (1979, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2007) 1 (1983) 1 (2003)
 Brazil 5 (1983, 1985, 1993, 2003, 2011) 4 (1991, 1995, 2009, 2015) 3 (1977, 1989, 2005)
 Portugal 2 (1989, 1991) 1 (2011) 1 (1995)
 Serbia1 2 (1987, 2015)
 Uruguay 1 (2023) 2 (1997, 2013) 1 (1979) 3 (1977, 1999, 2017)
 Ghana 1 (2009) 2 (1993, 2001) 1 (2013) 1 (1997)
 Spain 1 (1999) 2 (1985, 2003) 1 (1995)
 Russia2 1 (1977) 1 (1979) 1 (1991) 1 (1985)
 Germany3 1 (1981) 1 (1987)
 England 1 (2017) 1 (1993) 1 (1981)
 France 1 (2013) 1 (2011)
 Ukraine 1 (2019)
 Nigeria 2 (1989, 2005) 1 (1985)
 Italy 1 (2023) 1 (2017) 1 (2019)
 Mexico 1 (1977) 1 (2011)
 South Korea 1 (2019) 2 (1983, 2023)
 Qatar 1 (1981)
 Japan 1 (1999)
 Czech Republic 1 (2007)
 Venezuela 1 (2017)
 Mali 2 (1999, 2015)
 Poland 1 (1983) 1 (1979)
 Chile 1 (2007) 1 (1987)
 Romania 1 (1981)
 East Germany 1 (1987)
 Republic of Ireland 1 (1997)
 Egypt 1 (2001)
 Colombia 1 (2003)
 Hungary 1 (2009)
 Ecuador 1 (2019)
 Israel 1 (2023)
 Australia 2 (1991, 1993)
 United States 1 (1989)
 Paraguay 1 (2001)
 Morocco 1 (2005)
 Austria 1 (2007)
 Costa Rica 1 (2009)
 Iraq 1 (2013)
 Senegal 1 (2015)
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1 = includes results representing Yugoslavia
2 = includes results representing USSR
3 = includes results representing West Germany

Performances by continental zones (as of 2023)

Thumb
Map of the best results for each country

All continental confederations except for the OFC (Oceania) have made an appearance in the final match of the tournament. To date, CONMEBOL (South America) leads with twelve titles, followed by UEFA (Europe) with ten titles and CAF (Africa) with one title. Teams from the AFC (Asia) and CONCACAF (North America, Central America, Caribbean) have made the tournament final four times, but were defeated by strong UEFA sides. No current OFC member has ever made the semifinals; Australia reached the semifinals as an OFC member in 1991 and 1993, finishing fourth on both occasions, before the country joined the AFC in 2006.

More information Confederation (continent), Performances ...
Confederation (continent) Performances
Winners Runners-up Third Fourth
CONMEBOL (South America) 12 titles: Argentina (6), Brazil (5), Uruguay (1) 8 times: Brazil (4), Uruguay (2), Argentina (1), Venezuela (1) 7 times: Brazil (3), Chile (1), Colombia (1), Ecuador (1), Uruguay (1) 6 times: Uruguay (3), Argentina (1), Chile (1), Paraguay (1)
UEFA (Europe) 10 titles: Portugal (2), Serbia1 (2), England (1), France (1), West Germany (1), Spain (1), Ukraine (1), USSR (1) 7 times: Spain (2), Czech Republic (1), West Germany (1), Italy (1), Portugal (1), USSR (1) 10 times: England (1), East Germany (1), Hungary (1), Rep. of Ireland (1), Israel (1), Italy (1), Poland (1), Portugal (1), Romania (1), USSR (1) 7 times: Austria (1), England (1), France (1), Italy (1), Poland (1), Spain (1), USSR (1)
CAF (Africa) 1 title: Ghana (1) 4 times: Ghana (2), Nigeria (2) 5 times: Mali (2), Egypt (1), Ghana (1), Nigeria (1) 3 times: Ghana (1), Morocco (1), Senegal (1)
AFC (Asia) None 3 times: Japan (1), Qatar (1), South Korea (1) None 3 times: South Korea (2), Iraq (1)
CONCACAF (North, Central America and Caribbean) None 1 time: Mexico (1) 1 time: Mexico (1) 2 times: Costa Rica (1), United States (1)
OFC (Oceania) None None None 2 times: Australia2 (2)
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1 = as Yugoslavia (1987).
2 = as part of OFC (currently in AFC since 2006).

Awards

The following awards are now presented:

  • The Golden Ball is awarded to the most valuable player of the tournament;
  • The Golden Boot is awarded to the top goalscorer of the tournament;
  • The Golden Glove is awarded to the most valuable goalkeeper of the tournament;
  • The FIFA Fair Play Trophy is presented to the team with the best disciplinary record in the tournament.
More information Tournament, Golden Ball ...
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Records and statistics

See also

References

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