FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup

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The FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, scheduled for the first time in 2008, will be the world championship of football for female players under the age of 17. It is organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

[edit] History

In 2003 after the inaugural success of the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship, held in Canada, FIFA proposed adding a second youth tournament for women. Continental confederations told FIFA it would be difficult to create a second championship, with the age limits in place at the time. Therefore, FIFA created the U-17 Women's World Cup and the U-20 Women's World Championship, the same age groups as its men's youth tournaments. Accordingly, the age limit for the U-19 championship was increased to 20, effective with the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship in Russia. FIFA committed to creating a U-17 women's championship, slated to begin in 2008. [1]

The first edition of the tournament will be held in New Zealand, which beat out Chile and Ecuador for hosting honours. Sixteen teams will participate in the tournament—three each from AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL and UEFA, with New Zealand taking up the OFC spot.[2]

It will most likely be held in even-numbered years from 2008 on, the same years as the FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship is held and alternate years from the men's FIFA U-17 World Cup (odd-numbered years).