FIFA U-17 World Cup is the platform that helps the next generation of football stars show their talent and announce themselves on the bigger occasion of football. Ronaldinho, Cesc Fabregas, Toni Kroos, Victor Osimhen and Phil Foden are one of those stars who announced themselves in the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The competition started in 1985 for players under the age of 16 with the age limit raised to 17 from the 1991 edition onwards. As Germany win their first-ever FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy, beating France in the penalties in Indonesia, we give you every FIFA U-17 World Cup champion since 1985.

Nigeria were the first-ever FIFA U-16 World Cup Champion in China in 1985. They defeated Hungary and Guinea in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively before defeating West Germany in the final by 2-0 to win the title. Jonathan Akpoborie and Victor Igbinoba were the goal-scorers for Nigeria.

Marcel Witeczek was the top scorer of the tournament with 8 goals.

OTD in 1985.

🇳🇬The Golden Eaglets won the inaugural FIFA U16 World Championship (now christened FIFA U17 World Cup) defeating 🇩🇪Germany 2-0 in front of 80,000 fans in Beijing, China.

Goals from Jonathan Akpoborie and Victor Igbinoba gave us the trophy. #OTD #Nigeria pic.twitter.com/qsBre21IPm

— The NFF 🇳🇬 (@thenff) August 11, 2023

Nigeria again were the brink of winning the title but they were denied by Soviet Union in the 1978 FIFA U-16 World Cup in Canada. Soviet Union won the final in the penalties by 4-2 after the match was drawn at 1-1 after the final whistle.

Moussa Traoré was the top scorer with 5 goals that season.

In the 1989 FIFA U-16 World Cup in Scotland, the home side nearly became the first-ever home side to clinch the title. However, Saudi Arabia defeated them in the final by penalties 5-4 to win the trophy in Hampden Park. This was Saudi Arabia's first-ever FIFA tittle.

Fode Camara topped the scoring chart with 3 goals in the tournament.

Also Read: FIFA U-17 World Cup 2023: List of all the award winners

Ghana became the second African nation to win the FIFA U-16 World Cup after they defeated Spain by 1-0 in Italy. Emmanuel Duah scored the goal in a stunning header to give Ghana the title.

Adriano and Nii Odartey Lamptey was the top scorer of the tournament with 4 goals.

Nigeria won the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the second time in their history. They defeated Ghana in the final as African Nation's dominance contunited in the tournament. Nigeria defeated Ghana by 2-1 in Tokyo to reclaim the trophy.

Wilson Oruma was the top scorer of the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup win 6 goals.

Ghana equalled Nigeria's record and became the FIFA U-17 World Cup champions for the second time in 1995 in Ecuador. Ghana's Black Starlets defeated Brazil 3-2 in the final with all of their goals coming in the first half.

Daniel Allsopp was the top scorer with 5 goals.

Also Read: Top 10 Highest scoring defenders in the 21st century

Brazil became the first South African team to win the fifa under 17 World Cup in 1997 in Egypt. In a repIn a reply of 1995 fifa under 17 World Cups final brazil took the revenge on Ghana by defeating them by 2-1.

David from Spain scored 7 goals to be the top scorer of the tournament.

In 1999 FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil equalled Nigeria's record for winning the title second time and that too in consecutive seasons. They took the title back home after defeating Australia 8-7 in the shootout.

Ishmael Addo with seven goals won the Golden Boot award.

France won their first-ever under-17 World Cup by defeating Nigeria in the final in 2001 by 2-1. Sinama Pongolle became the first player to win Golden Ball and Golden Boot both at the tournament with his 9th goal in the final.

Brazil won the FIFA under-17 title for the third time in four seasons by defeating Spain in the final by 1-0. Cesc Fabregas became the second player to win both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot awards as he took Spain into the final single handedly. Fabregas had scored five goals as a midfielder in the tournament.

Also Read: Erling Haaland stats in UEFA Champions League 2022/23

Carlos Vela's heroics in the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Cup final stopped Brazil's dominance in the tournament. Brazil played 4th final in five seasons but had to surrender against Mexico as they were defeated in the final by 3-0.

Vela with five goals was the highest scorer of the tournament.

Nigeria won the ournament for the third time after being without a trophy in 15 years. They defeated Spain in the final penalty shootout 3-0 to claim their third title to equal Brazil's record for most FIFA U-17 World Cup titles.

Macauley Chrisantus with 7 goals won the Golden Boot Award while Toni Kroos won the Golden ball award.

Nigeria failed to defend their title at their own home in 2000 nine as they were defeated by Switzerland in the final. Haris Seferovic scored the lone goal in the final to give his team the trophy.

Borja scored five goals to win the Golden boot award.

Mexico won the tournament for the second time and became the first ever team to win the title at their home. Almost 100,000 fans, A record-breaking 100,000 fans attented the final at Estadio Azteca to witness El Tri defeat Uruguay 2-0.

Souleymane Coulibaly with 9 goals in the tournament became the then highest goalscorer in any FIFA U-17 World Cup tournament.

Mexico played back to back finals only to hand Nigeria their fourth FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy in 2013 in UAE. Kelechi Iheanacho's goal helped Nigeria beat Mexico by 3-0 in the final to become the most successful team in the tournament's history.

Valmir Berisha topped the goal scoring chart with seven goals.

Nigeria kept onNigeria kept on dominating the tournament as they became the first team ever to win the title 5 times. Victor Osimhen's brilliance helped them beat Mali by 2-0 in the final. Osimhen with 10 goals became the player to score most goals in any FIFA U1-7 World Cup.

Also Read: 10 players who have won the most trophies in football history

In 2017 India hosted any FIFA event for the first time in their history as England won their first ever title in the tournament's history. Guided by the strategic expertise of Steve Cooper, England marched triumphantly to the final showdown. There, in a riveting Kolkata duel, they secured a resounding 5-2 victory over Spain. The final witnessed Phil Foden, the recipient of the adidas Golden Ball, scoring two crucial goals.

Rhian Brewster was the top scorer of the tournament with 6 goals.

After Mexico, Brazil became the second team to win the FIFAU-17 World Cup at their home. They defeated Mexico in the final by 2-1 at Estadio Bezerrao as they won their fourth title.

Sontje Hansen with 6 goals topped the goal scoring chart.

Germany won their first-ever fifa under 17 World Cup in Indonesia by defeating France in the final. Paris Brunner and Noah Darvich propelled the Germans to a commanding 2-0 lead, setting the stage for what seemed like an assured victory.

However, the narrative swiftly shifted as Saimon Bouabre netted a rapid goal, injecting a surge of momentum into France's favour. In a dramatic turn of events, Mathis Amougou later secured an 85th-minute equalizer. The climax unfolded in a nerve-wrecking shootout, where Germany ultimately triumphed 4-3, marking the culmination of a gripping contest.

Agustín Ruberto with 8 goals won the Golden boot award.

US President Donald Trump has made a claim that the FIFA 2026 World Cup could help end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and shut down the war. The Russian national football team has been banned from international competition by FIFA and UEFA since the country's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Trump, during his 2024 campaign, vowed to end the Russia-Ukraine war on the first day back in. But his efforts to broker a deal between the countries have so far stuttered.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026: Teams qualified so far

Trump was unaware of the ban

Trump was questioned about the possible participation of Russia at next year's World Cup. Speaking alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the meeting, Trump admitted he was unaware that Russia are banned from the 2026 World Cup.

During the meeting at the White House, a reporter asked the president for his stance on the ban, which was part of global sporting sanctions imposed on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Trump said, "I didn't know that, is that right? You want to explain that?"

"That is right," replied Infantino. "They are banned for the time being from playing but we hope that something happens and peace will happen so that Russia can be readmitted."

Trump on Russia-Ukraine war

The United States are hosting the World Cup next year along with Canada and Mexico but Russia are currently banned by both FIFA and UEFA from participating in international competitions due to their invasion of Ukraine.

Trump has now said that reinstating Russia for the tournament could help end the war in Ukraine, feeling that it ‘could be a good incentive’ for Putin.

Also Read: Brazil wants to sign current Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti after recent humiliation against Argentina

"That's possible. Hey, could be a good incentive, right?" Trump replied to Infantino.

"We want to get them to stop. We want them to stop. 5,000 people a week are being killed -- it's not even believable. We're going to get that war stopped."

Russia haven't played a competitive fixture since a 2022 World Cup qualifying defeat to Croatia in November 2021. They have played 16 friendlies since then, winning 11 of them.

Club Leon boss Eduardo Berizzo has come out and slammed FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino over his team being omitted from the 2025 Club World Cup due to rules regarding multiple-club ownership.

“La FIFA ya prepara reemplazantes en vez de esperar a la decisión del TAS”

Eduardo Berizzo, D.T. de León, en conferencia de prensa @FeintSoccerMX #Leon #MundialDeClubes pic.twitter.com/22cRZdFVc0

— Danna Cervantes (@dannapcervantes) April 16, 2025

In March, FIFA decided that Leon were not qualified to play in the first 32-team competition after they failed to match FIFA's multi-club ownership requirements, and Infantino has since donated their place in a playoff game between Club America and Los Angeles FC.

But the Mexican club has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and, at a news conference, Berizzo had some strong words against the decision.

Read Also | FIFA considering play-off game to replace Club Leon at the Club World Cup 2025

Club Leon boss slams FIFA and Infantino

Club Leon's head coach, Eduardo Berizzo, discussed how the decision has affected the team's performance after the club lost to Cruz Azul. He stated:

The FIFA President cannot comment on a supposed replacement without waiting for the ruling. I think his words carry significant weight and he shouldn’t have commented; he should have remained neutral until the CAS ruling.

The rules of competition of the 2025 Club World Cup declared that clubs owned by the same legal entity cannot compete. FIFA decided that Leon and the other Mexican clubs competing in the tournament belonged to the same ownership structure, but Berizzo has criticized FIFA for the lack of transparency. He said:

If the world were the way I wanted it to be, people like that wouldn’t lead organisations like this. FIFA must demonstrate that it is an organisation of integrity, and it isn’t. In the past, it hasn’t been."

Not only with our elimination, but with all this, which involves a fix, a hidden interest to see which team goes, who doesn’t , why teams go, why others leave or why you get eliminated. As long as there’s no clarity or transparency about that, they’ll always remain suspects."

We live in a football world, in organisations and institutions that, instead of representing transparency and setting an example for all citizens, increasingly make us suspicious and make us feel small in the face of what’s happening."

In a football world where everyone should feel supported, a part of, and proud to be a part of, sometimes you feel like running away.

The Leon boss also targeted his country's national association, the Mexican Football Federation. Berizzo claimed:

You feel treated unfairly; you feel part of a football system governed by individuals who work for subterranean interests that make decisions. It's very striking that the Mexican Football Federation hasn't said a word about this issue.

Read Also | FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule

The controversy over the potential increase in the 2030 FIFA World Cup roster to 64 teams has gained momentum, with key football officials coming out to oppose it. The Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have joined forces against this controversial suggestion.

Should the 2030 World Cup be expanded to 64 teams❓🌎 🏆

Alejandro Dominguez, president of CONMEBOL, is proposing a one-time expansion of the 2030 Men's World Cup to 64 teams to mark the tournament’s 100th anniversary.

The centenary edition is set to begin with matches in 🇺🇾,… pic.twitter.com/hxbslrotyM

— 433 (@433) April 11, 2025

Concacaf chief Victor Montagliani has joined the increasing call to oppose the plan to increase the World Cup teams to 64, claiming increasing the number of teams "would not be the right move".

AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa also warned against the expansion to 64 teams and the ‘chaos’ it could lead to, telling Agence France Press (AFP), “Personally, I don’t agree."

AFC and CONCACAF Presidents show concerns over expansion

In March's FIFA Council, Uruguayan football chief Ignacio Alonso proposed expansion of the 2030 World Cup. FIFA later announced that it would study the proposal.

Since then, Conmebol president Alejandro Dominguez has been the frontrunning campaigner for an expansion to 64 teams. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been silent on the idea, but according to sources close to FIFA, he favours the plan and came up with it in the first place.

🚨 An official proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams has been put forward by the South American Football Confederation. 🌍🏆

(Source: @BBCSport) pic.twitter.com/LDTfggf3BA

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) April 11, 2025

Conmebol have often been his path to market for alterations that he desires – the most stunning of these recently having been for a biennial World Cup cycle.

Last week, Dominguez supported a tournament extension from 48 teams to 64 teams in the 2030 World Cup as a once-off for the centenary celebrations for the global finals. Dominguez said:

We are convinced that the celebration of the centenary will be something unique, because it has only once been 100 years old. And for this reason, we are proposing, for one, to carry out this anniversary with 64 teams, across three simultaneous continents. So that all countries have the opportunity to live a world experience, and so that no one is left out of this party even if it is played everywhere, it is our party.

With Victor Montagliani joining the mounting anti-64-team World Cup campaign, he is joined by fellow FIFA vice presidents Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa (AFC president) and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.

Following Infantino, they are the next three strongest political officials in the world governing body. Montagliani told ESPN:

At Concacaf, we’ve shown that we are open to change by supporting the Women’s World Cup expansion and the continuous evolution of our Confederation’s men’s and women’s national team and club events,”

I don’t believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players.

Yesterday, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa cautioned against expansion to 64 teams and the 'chaos' it might bring, telling Agence France-Presse: "Personally, I don't agree." He further stated:

If the question is open to amendment, then the door will not only be open to increasing the tournament to 64 teams,"

But somebody will come along and insist on increasing the amount to 132 teams. Where would we get to then? It would be chaos.

Even the president of UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin, who also serves as FIFA vice president, joined the chorus of criticism. He stated:

It is not a good idea for the World Cup itself, and it's not a good idea for our qualifiers as well," 

I don't know where it came from, but it's odd that we didn't know anything prior to this proposal at the FIFA Council."

Would you like a World Cup with 64 teams? 🤔

The 2022 tournament had 32, and 48 will compete in 2026 🏆 pic.twitter.com/sJyyEtaBIE

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 3, 2025

Future World Cups and logistical issues

Excitement is rising for the first-ever 48-team World Cup to be staged in 2026 by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

This event is a huge rise from the traditional 32-team setup, and any further expansion to 64 would double matches to a mind-boggling 128. Contrary to this, the forthcoming 2026 event will host 104 matches to be staged in 16 host cities.

Read Also | FIFA World Cup 2026: Teams qualified so far

The logistical issues for the 2030 World Cup are already significant, with its games spread across three continents. Its initial host nations are Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, but Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina will be hosting the milestone opening games, marking a century since the tournament's first edition was held in Uruguay.

FIFA has yet to comment publicly on the feasibility of this proposal, although they did confirm their duty to consider it.

Read Also | FIFA dismisses Morocco's claims about Western Sahara in the 2030 FIFA World Cup bid assessment report

The proposal is expected to be a subject of debate at FIFA's upcoming 75th Congress, which takes place annually on May 15 in Paraguay's capital, Asunción, which houses the headquarters of Conmebol. The congress agenda is yet to be published, but the plan for a 64-team World Cup will supposedly receive intense local lobbying in the backrooms and corridors of FIFA.

FIFA is reportedly considering the possibility of arranging a one-game play-off between Major League Soccer (MLS) club Los Angeles FC and Liga MX giants Club America to decide which team will represent the expelled Club Leon at the 2025 Club World Cup.  

🤯🇲🇽 BREAKING: FIFA has drawn up plans to hold a one-game playoff between Club America and LAFC to determine a replacement team for Club Leon at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. 🇺🇸🏆

Via @lizzy_becherano - @espn pic.twitter.com/ZVFSfcZPZ6

— All Fútbol MX 🇲🇽 (@AllFutbolMX) March 30, 2025

A FIFA spokesperson disclosed on Sunday that the organization is actively weighing the feasibility of this play-off match, whereas the winner of this playoff would also receive $9.55 million in prize money given by FIFA to teams qualified from the Concacaf zone.

However, FIFA's consideration does not include the Costa Rican side Deportiva Alajuelense after the club lodged a complaint in 2024, which led to Leon's subsequent removal from the tournament.

Read Also | FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule

The controversial exclusion of Club Leon

Costa Rican outfit Alajuelense’s complaint regarding the multi-ownership issue initiated the investigation by the FIFA Appeal Committee back in November 2024, which eventually led to Club Leon’s exclusion.

FIFA announced the decision to expel the Mexican side Club Leon from the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup 2025 last week due to the club's shared ownership with Pachuca, another team that competes in Mexico's top division, Liga MX.

TODOS LO GANAMOS, JUNTOS LO DEFENDEMOS.

Más unidos que nunca.#SerFieraEsUnOrgullo 🦁 pic.twitter.com/BEXp7VbCjl

— Club León (@clubleonfc) March 31, 2025

Pachuca also qualified for the Club World Cup after winning the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, while Club Leon earned its qualification after clinching the 2023 edition of the same tournament. However, Grupo Pachuca owns both the teams and holds stakes in Spanish side Real Oviedo and some other clubs as well.

This joint ownership violated the multi-club ownership requirements defined under Article 10, paragraph 1 of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Regulations outlined by FIFA.

FIFA is considering a play-off game to replace Leon

According to different sources, FIFA is considering an unconventional approach to organize a single play-off game to determine which team would replace Club Leon in the competition.

Renowned football journalist Ben Jacobs has indicated a showdown between Club America and Los Angeles FC is on the cards, with the winner securing the coveted last place in the Group D, consisting of Chelsea, Flamengo, and Esperance.

The FIFA spokesperson stated the following on Sunday:

LAFC would participate as runner-up to Club Léon in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League through which Club Léon had qualified, Club América would participate as the top-ranked team in the FIFA Club World Cup confederation ranking through which qualification is also determined.

The winner of the play-off would qualify unless legal proceedings rule otherwise.

The plans to commence the process of arranging a play-off will begin if Club Leon loses their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to be reinstated to the Club World Cup.

CAS has called for a hearing on April 23 in Madrid, Spain, where Leon and Deportiva Alajuelense both will be presented the opportunity to put forward their arguments. Alajuelense had previously filed the complaint at CAS, asserting that León's inclusion was against FIFA regulations as they have also claimed a spot in the tournament instead.

Read Also | Costa Rican side Deportiva Alajuelense demand Club World Cup spot following Club Leon's exclusion

Both clubs must submit their legal documents by April 2, prior to the hearing on the 23rd. Any announcements concerning a possible substitute will likely not be made until the legal issues are settled.

"I think it's a grave injustice": James Rodriguez expressed his disappointment

The exclusion of Club Leon has heavily affected the Mexican side's talisman player, the Colombian star James Rodriguez. The former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder did not hesitate to express his disappointment regarding this decision. He said:

I think it's a grave injustice. We all believe that. We won on the pitch. The club and the players are hurt by this. If we're out, it's not fair. The team that would replace us would be stained, and football would be stained.

So many fans have planned to travel to the tournament; how do you tell them that they can't go? I have a lot of questions about all this. It's odd. I think FIFA has to get their things together. Football is stained by this. 

ESPN revealed that when asked about qualifying for the tournament, Club América head coach Andre Jardine assured his team's eagerness to earn the spot by battling on the field. According to him:

León should go to the Club World Cup. I'm sad for the institution, and I'd like them to find a solution so they can go,

"If it doesn't happen, then América has been doing things well for a long time. It's true that they haven't yet won the Concacaf Champions Cup, which is a dream of ours and a very clear objective.

"We're leading most of the Mexican tournaments and the Concacaf ranking, which is one of the criteria. If you ask me if I want to go to the Club World Cup, of course it's true, but I'd like to go to the Club World Cup by achieving it on the field. That's what we're working towards.

However, nothing has been finalized yet, and FIFA will also have to wait until the CAS hearing is able to curve out any solutionary measure. 

Read Also | FIFA announce Club World Cup 2025 prize money: USD 1 billion pool, winner to get record USD 125 million

FIFA has announced a lucrative financial reward for the 32 participating teams in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup 2025, set to take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025.

The ultimate governing body of the football world had already announced a whopping USD 1 billion prize pool for the tournament earlier. On March 27th, Wednesday, FIFA confirmed that the champions of the newly-structured global club competition can take home a record prize money of USD 125 million.

Read Also | FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule

FIFA has also announced a solidarity plan to elevate the current financial status of football around the globe, as FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed the target of an additional 250 million USD being provided to club football across the world.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Prize money distribution

FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced the financial rewards and the solidarity programme to help club football in a statement on Wednesday. Infantino stated the following:

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 prize money has been announced.

The winners will earn up to 125 USD million, with USD 1 billion of prize money going to the 32 participating clubs and a target of USD 250 million in solidarity for club football across the world. Critically, all revenue will be distributed to club football with FIFA’s reserves remaining untouched.

The distribution model of the FIFA Club World Cup reflects the pinnacle of club football and represents the biggest-ever prize money for a football tournament comprising a seven-match group stage and playoff format.

In addition to the prize money for the participating teams, there is an unprecedented solidarity investment programme which will undoubtedly provide a significant boost in our ongoing efforts in making football truly global.

Finally, FIFA will neither retain any funding for this tournament, as all revenues will be distributed to club football, nor will it touch FIFA’s reserves, which are set aside for global football development through the 211 FIFA Member Associations.

The prizes for the tournament will continue to increase as performance bonuses are paid, with a total of $475 million being divided according to the teams' performances. This will mean that the team who has the most wins in a possible seven matches will be able to take a share of a maximum prize fund of $125 million.

The format of this tournament has been professionally structured by FIFA along with the European Club Association (ECA) so that due payment can be made based on the stature and success of the teams taking part. Therefore, the competition will become the richest club tournament ever arranged in a seven-match format.

Significantly, top European teams will get a minimum of $40 million, with South American teams getting $15.21 million. Teams from CONCACAF, CAF, and AFC will all get at least $9.55 million, while Oceania teams will receive $3.58 million.