Newly-expanded, newly-situated and with a bona-fide global star as the face of the host nation, the 11th edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ is set for kick-off on 31 August.
The cities of Bogota and Medellin take centre-stage on the tournament’s opening day as an octet of aspirants start their bid to join a select group of nations to have won the competition. Only three-time winners Germany and USA, double champions Korea DPR, Japan and the current title-holders Spain have stood atop the podium in the tournament’s 22-year history.
While the hosts will undoubtedly be the main act, there’s also a pair of debutants set to make their tournament bow in the shape of Cameroon and Fiji, ten-time South American champions Brazil are in action, as are the current Concacaf title holders Mexico in what should be a captivating start to Colombia 2024.
Group A
Cameroon v Mexico
Estadio El Campin, Bogota
Saturday 31 August | 15:00 (local time)
Cameroon are one of two tournament debutants and booked their place at Colombia 2024 courtesy of a 5-3 aggregate win over Egypt in the CAF qualification tournament. With a squad bolstered by the likes of Le Mans forward Mana Lamine, who scored in both legs of the qualifying tie, and Stade Reims midfielder Monique Ngock, they’ll be looking to build on a final pre-tournament match that saw them draw 1-1 with Venezuela on 24 August.
Mexico arrive at the tournament as continental champions, having defeated USA 2-1 in the final of the 2023 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship. Their pre-tournament form was more modest though, going winless in four outings, prior to a 1-0 victory over Nigeria earlier this week that they’ll hope can serve as a springboard for their Bogota bow.
Colombia v Australia
Estadio El Campin, Bogota
Saturday 31 August | 18:00 (local time)
It’s not often that a global star at senior level turns out for their nation’s U-20 side but that’s the fortunate situation that Colombia find themselves in with Linda Caicedo the headline act not just for the hosts, but for the tournament as a whole. Las Cafeteras enter off the back of a pair of warm-up matches against Morocco.
Australia have been in camp in Colombia for the past two weeks and, having earlier played out a pair of 1-1 draws against New Zealand, they were pipped 2-1 by Nigeria in their final pre-tournament hit-out on 23 August.
Group B
France v Canada
Estadio Atanasio Girardot, Medellin
Saturday 31 August | 15:00 (local time)
France had the ideal preparation for Colombia 2024, winning the Sud Ladies Cup as hosts in June, seeing off Mexico in the final. While the loss of the injured Chancelle Effa Effa is a blow and there are questions over the starting readiness of Liana Jospeh, this is otherwise a quality looking France side with real title aspirations.
Cindy Tye’s Canada side had a brief camp in Bogota before heading across to Medellin on 27 August and, for the first time, the group contains a pair of professional players. Liverpool’s Olivia Smith and Orlando Pride forward Amanda Allen headline a group the coach described as “versatile” and ready to “gain valuable experience on the world stage.”
Brazil v Fiji
Estadio Atanasio Girardot, Medellin
Saturday 31 August | 18:00 (local time)
Although Brazil are yet to win the U-20 Women’s World Cup, they have been a cyclonic force at continental level, claiming all ten editions of the South American U-20 Women’s Championship. The team has been in camp in the city of Itagui, just outside of Medellin, with head coach Rosana suggesting that she will look to rotate the squad throughout the group phase in a similar manner to that which served the senior side so well at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Debutants Fiji arrive off the back off a pair of 2-0 warm-up losses against Costa Rica and Morocco respectively that will give them belief they may be able to reach their stated pre-tournament objective of limiting the opposition, and scoring what would be their first ever goal at the competition.
