FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026: Benin face Mexico as Tanzania meet Brazil

The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026 begins in Poland on Saturday, with Benin and Tanzania both preparing for historic first appearances in the competition.

The 12th edition will feature 24 national teams divided into six groups, with the tournament scheduled to run from 5 to 27 September.

Benin will make history at 16:00 when the junior Amazons play their first-ever Women’s U-20 World Cup match against Mexico. They are in Group A alongside hosts Poland and Argentina, making the opening-day fixture an important first step in the country’s campaign.

Tanzania will also reach a landmark moment when they make their debut against Brazil at 13:00 in Group B. The group’s other match will see Canada play England at 16:00.

The opening match of the tournament will be staged by the host nation, with Poland facing Argentina at 13:00. The fixture corrects an earlier version of the schedule, which had incorrectly listed Mexico against Poland.

Saturday’s fixtures

The first day’s programme begins with two matches at 13:00. Poland will meet Argentina, while Brazil will take on Tanzania.

The second set of games is scheduled for 16:00, with Mexico playing Benin and Canada facing England.

The full schedule is:

– 13:00: Poland v Argentina – 13:00: Brazil v Tanzania – 16:00: Mexico v Benin – 16:00: Canada v England

For Benin, the meeting with Mexico represents the start of the nation’s first campaign at this level. The match will also give the Amazones juniors the opportunity to open their Group A campaign on the tournament’s first day.

Tanzania’s encounter with Brazil carries the same historical significance for the East African side. Their first appearance comes in a group that also includes Canada and England, who will meet later on Saturday.

Poland’s match against Argentina will officially launch the tournament before the other opening fixtures take place. With the host nation involved in the first game, the corrected schedule places Poland against Argentina rather than Mexico, as had previously been stated.

The competition will continue in Poland until 27 September, with the 24 participating teams competing across six groups. The opening day therefore combines the tournament’s first matches with notable milestones for both Benin and Tanzania, who will each play their first Women’s U-20 World Cup fixture.