Katowice, Poland, 4 September (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup begins in Poland on Saturday, with around 15,000 spectators expected for the opening matches in Katowice, although FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s attendance remained uncertain on Friday.
Hosts Poland face Argentina on the opening day, while Mexico play tournament debutants Benin in the other Group A fixture in Katowice. The competition runs from 5 to 27 September and brings together 24 national teams.
Why is Infantino’s possible absence attracting attention?
FIFA could not confirm by Friday whether Infantino would attend the opening matches, according to Reuters. His movements are attracting particular scrutiny because the tournament is the first major FIFA competition since a significant governance dispute intensified around the organisation and its president.
The controversy centred on the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which involved plans to transfer commercial rights connected to major FIFA competitions into a subsidiary and bring in outside investors. Infantino abandoned the proposal on 31 July following strong opposition from UEFA and other football stakeholders.
The dispute has continued since then. FIFA this week accused UEFA of conducting a “smear campaign” over the failed proposal, while UEFA has been seeking evidence in US courts as it considers possible legal action in Switzerland.
Against that backdrop, Infantino’s presence or absence in Poland is likely to receive attention beyond the football being played on the pitch.
What will Poland 2026 mean for women’s football?
The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is being staged across Katowice, Bielsko-Biała, Łódź and Sosnowiec. It is Poland’s first major global women’s football tournament and the 12th edition of the competition.
Six countries — Poland, Benin, Ecuador, New Caledonia, Portugal and Tanzania — are making their tournament debuts. Defending champions Korea DPR are seeking a fourth title, a feat the United States could also achieve.
Infantino previously described Poland 2026 as evidence that women’s football “continues to grow at a tremendous pace”. He said the tournament would feature “a great mix of the established elite and emerging challengers”.
FIFA has also introduced a requirement that every team participating in its women’s competitions must have at least one woman serving as either head coach or assistant coach, Reuters reported.
What happens after the opening matches?
The 24 teams are divided into six groups of four. The top two teams from each group, together with the four best third-placed sides, will progress to the knockout stage.
The tournament will conclude with the final in Łódź on 27 September. For FIFA, attention during the coming weeks will therefore fall both on the emerging players competing for one of women’s football’s leading youth titles and on the continuing governance questions surrounding its leadership.
