FIFA cancels U17 and U20 World Cups in 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic

FIFA has canceled the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups scheduled for next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The news comes after the postponement of the Olympic Games and other global sporting tournaments.

In a statement released, FIFA said the 2021 edition of both tournaments will be cancelled, and the next edition will be held in 2023, with Indonesia still hosting the U20s and Peru the U17s.

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present challenges for the hosting of international sporting events and to have a restrictive effect on international travel. FIFA has therefore regularly consulted the relevant stakeholders, including the host member associations as well as the confederations involved in both tournaments originally scheduled to take place in 2021,” the football governing body said in a statement.

“In doing so, it became clear that the global situation has failed to normalise to a sufficient level to address the challenges associated with hosting both tournaments, including the feasibility of the relevant qualification pathways,” it added.