November 7, 2023 -- The 2023 Men's U-17 World Cup kicks off this Friday with Indonesia hosting the World Championship Final for the first time.
The tournament will be held in four cities - Surabaya, Surabaya, Jakarta and Bandung - from Nov. 10 to Dec. 2, with a total of 24 teams competing.
AFC will send a record five teams to the finals, with hosts Indonesia taking on Ecuador, runners-up at the 2023 South American U-17 Championship, in what promises to be an action-packed final at Surabaya's 45,000-capacity Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium.
Defending Asian champions Japan will be making their tenth and third consecutive appearance at the U-17 World Cup when they take on Poland at the Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung in Group D. The final will be held at the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium in Bandung.
The focal point of the first round of matches is likely to be the Jakarta International Stadium in the capital city of Jakarta, where Iran, who are making their fifth World Cup appearance, will face defending champions and four-time winners Brazil in Group C.
In a message, AFC President Shaikh Salman E.A. wished the Asian team good luck in what he described as "a watershed moment in the history of the global game of soccer."
Salman added: "As the AFC's vision and mission emphasizes, our Asian teams have shown the world that they are capable of standing on the biggest stage in world football and we are confident that they will showcase their undeniable talent in Indonesia.
Indonesia had initially expressed interest in discussing a joint bid to host the 2034 World Cup, but eventually succumbed to peer pressure and withdrew its bid before the deadline at the end of October. Saudi Arabia is the only contender to host the 2034 finals.
