Team of experts to deliver in-depth insights from all 52 tournament matches
TSG to include greats of the women’s game
Poland set to host the world’s best young female talent at FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™
The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Poland 2026™ is almost upon us, with excitement building as the 24 teams make their final preparations and the brightest prospects in their squads gear up to shine on the global stage.
These emerging stars will be performing under the watchful eye of FIFA’s Technical Study Group (TSG), which will deliver cutting-edge analysis of all matches across the tournament.
The TSG will be headed by FIFA Senior Football Expert and former Switzerland international goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbühler. Joining him in the line-up will be former Germany forward and FIFA Women’s World Cup winner, Olympic gold medallist and three-time European champion Anja Mittag, former Wales coach and current head coach of Norway Gemma Grainger, and Women's AFCON winner and pioneering African coach Clémentine Touré from Côte d’Ivoire.
The role of the FIFA TSG is to observe matches, pinpoint tactical trends and innovations, and illustrate them using examples and data from the Football Performance Insights team. The trends are then presented on fifatrainingcentre.com, an innovative platform that is available to players and coaches worldwide. The TSG members also select the winners of certain individual awards, such as the adidas Golden Ball and adidas Golden Glove.
“For this competition in Poland, we’ve brought together a diverse group of experts with varied backgrounds and extensive experience,” said Pascal Zuberbühler. “I’m keenly anticipating this tournament. We’re eager to see the variety of playing styles and development approaches across the confederations – and, naturally and as usual, I’ll be paying particularly close attention to the performances of the goalkeepers and their involvement in the game.”
For the second time in history a total of 24 national teams from across the globe will compete for FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup glory. The tournament will be staged in Poland from 5 to 27 September 2026.in four host cities: Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, Łódź and Sosnowiec. As part of FIFA’s commitment to developing women’s football the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia 2024 marked the tournament’s expansion to a 24-team format, up from 16. This tournament has served as an important platform for many of the future stars of women’s football, providing a stage on which players such as Alex Morgan (USA, 2008 in Chile), Alexandra Popp (GER, 2010 in Germany) and Linda Caicedo (COL, 2022 in Costa Rica) first showcased their talent on the international stage before going on to become leading figures in the women’s game. Technical Study Group members – short profiles
Anja Mittag One of Germany’s most decorated forwards, FIFA Women’s World Cup winner, Olympic gold medal winner and three UEFA Women’s Championship titles to her name. Quote Anja Mittag: “I’m very much looking forward to the tournament and to witnessing the development of the next generation of players. I’m particularly excited to focus on the offensive side of the game and see how young players express their creativity, make decisions and influence matches.”
Gemma Grainger English coach with extensive experience in women’s international and club football, including as former head coach of the Wales women’s national team. She is currently head coach of the Norway women’s national team. Quote Gemma Grainger: “The U20 Women’s World Cup is a really important part of player development. When you look at the history of the tournament and the players who have gone on to the highest level, it shows just how valuable that experience can be, both in terms of performance and the lessons players take forward in their careers. It’s an opportunity for players to develop and test themselves on the world stage, learning from the experience and take another important step in their development.”
Clémentine Touré Touré has become a leading figure in women’s football development in Africa. As long-time head coach of the Côte d'Ivoire women’s national team, she guided the team to multiple Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaigns and became the first female coach in Africa to earn the CAF Pro Licence. Quote Clémentine Touré: “In Poland, when the talent of the FIFA U20 Women's team combines with ambition, a new page in the history of women's world football begins to be written."
Pascal Zuberbühler (Group Leader) Former Switzerland international goalkeeper with extensive experience at the highest levels of the game. As FIFA Senior Football Expert, he leads technical analysis projects across men’s and women’s football, focusing on tactical trends, goalkeeper development, and the integration of performance data into coaching practice.