The quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland kick off this Saturday, September 19, at the Sosnowiec Arena with two decisive matchups. Defending champion Spain will face Brazil in the match of the day, while Italy will try to extend its historic run in the tournament against South Korea.
Brazil vs. Spain: The clash between the South American and European teams, scheduled for 9:30 a.m., pits two undefeated powerhouses against each other. Spain has reached this stage for the fifth consecutive World Cup after posting a perfect record in the group stage with nine points and 16 goals scored, before comfortably defeating Portugal 2-0 in the Round of 16. Led by Pau Comendador, the Spanish team is looking to reach the semifinals for the third time in its history.
Brazil also had a flawless group stage and comes into the match buoyed by their dramatic penalty shootout victory over the United States (5–4 after a 1–1 draw), in which Sofía Couto played a key role by scoring the first goal of the match. This Brazilian generation is looking to make a significant mark nine months before hosting the Women’s World Cup.
Spain’s head coach, David Aznar, acknowledged the challenge posed by the South American squad: “It will be a very difficult match. We’ve been keeping an eye on Brazil throughout the group stage. As always, they’re a team that really stands out for its individual talent, with players who are both highly skilled and capable.”
South Korea vs. Italy: Early in the morning (6:00 a.m.), Italy will play in the first quarterfinal of its history. After returning to the tournament for the first time since 2012, the European team defeated China in a tense penalty shootout (5–4 after a 1–1 draw) to advance to the quarterfinals. Head coach Nicola Matteucci has set high expectations for the team: “The real gift now is one the girls have to give themselves: to keep playing the way we know we can and aim as high as possible.”
They’ll face South Korea, a team returning to this stage for the first time since Canada 2014. Led at the back by defender Nam Seungeun, the Asian side has gone from strength to strength in the tournament and is coming off a narrow 1-0 victory over Argentina. South Korea is looking to reach the semifinals for the second time in its history, emulating the 2010 team that won the bronze medal under the leadership of Ji Soyun.
Confidence in the Asian camp is high. “I think we can beat Italy, so it doesn’t matter who we face,” said South Korean goalkeeper Kim Chaebin.
Both U-20 World Cup quarterfinal matches will be available to stream on FIFA+ via DAZN in select territories.
