PREVIEW: USA concludes FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup group stage against Norway

The U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team finishes group play against Norway on Friday, Oct. 24 (9 a.m. ET; FS2). A win or a draw would earn first place in Group C.

The USA comes into the match after a dominating 5-2 win over China in its second group-stage patch. Paired with Norway’s loss to Ecuador, the win also meant the USA officially advanced to the knockout rounds. The win also marked the first time the U.S. had won its first two matches at a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Needless to say, a win vs. Norway would mark the first time the U.S. U-17s won all three group games at a FIFA U-17 WWC.

USA CONTROLS MATCH IN EYE-CATCHING WIN OVER CHINA PR: Despite falling down 1-0 early to China PR, the USA roared back to score five unanswered goals enroute to a 5-2 win in its second group-stage match. China drew first blood when Zhou Xinyi scored in the 12th minute, but Lauren Malsom equalized in the 27th minute before Maddie DiMaria (44th minute) and Nyanya Touray (45+4) added goals just before the half to give the U.S. the lead for good. Touray and Malsom each added one more goal, in the 62nd and 68th minutes, respectively, before China PR’s Zeng Youjing notched the final tally of the evening in the 85th minute free kick goal.

TWENTY-FOUR TEAMS, ONE CHAMPION: This will be the first FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup to feature 24 nations as the tournament expands from the 16 teams that have competed for this trophy since its inception in 2008.

It also marks the first competition since FIFA made this tournament an annual affair and awarded the honor of hosting the first five – including this tournament – to Morocco.

The 24 participating nations were drawn into six groups of four teams. The top two finishers in each group, plus the four best third-place finishers, will advance to the Round of 16 – a newly instituted knockout round for this tournament — meaning it will now take seven matches to lift the trophy. The Round of 16 matches will be held on Oct. 28 and 29 with the Quarterfinals to be played on Nov. 1 and 2, from which the winners will advance to the Semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 5. The Third-Place Match and World Cup Final will be held on Saturday, Nov. 8 in Rabat.

Matches will take place at just two venues: the Football Academy Mohammed VI in Salé, which will utilize three game pitches at the venue, and the Olympic Stadium Annex Sports Complex Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, which holds 21,000. The two venues are only about 13 miles apart.

2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup

Group C – USA Schedule

Date	Match	Kickoff (ET)	Venue; City	Broadcast
Oct. 24	USA vs. Norway	9 a.m.	Mohammed VI Football Academy (Pitch 3); Salé	FS2

Group C Results

Oct. 18
USA 3, Ecuador 0
China 5, Norway 0

Oct. 21
USA 5, China 2
Ecuador 2, Norway 0

Oct. 24
USA vs. Norway
China vs. Ecuador

Group C Standings

TEAM	GP	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD	PTS
USA	2	2	0	0	8	2	+5	6
China	2	1	1	0	7	5	2	3
Ecuador	2	1	1	0	2	3	-1	3
Norway	2	0	2	0	0	7	-7	0

WATCH FIFA U-17 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TUBI AND FOX SPORTS: All of the matches of the 2025 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup will be broadcast on the Fox Sports family of networks or on Tubi. The USA’s remaining group stage match will be on FS2. Fans can also watch that game on FoxSports.com with the corresponding authentication.

2008s AND 2009s SHINE HEADING INTO TOURNAMENT: Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2008, are age-eligible for this World Cup. U.S. U-17 WNT coach Kate Schoepfer chose 16 players born in 2008, four born in 2009 and one, Mak Whitham, born in 2010. Fourteen players will be 17 years old at the start of the World Cup and six will be 16. Whitham, who will be 15, as well as the four players born in 2009, are age-eligible for next year’s 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

WORLD CUP VETERANS: Scottie Antonucci, Micayla Johnson, Jaiden Rodriguez and goalkeeper Evan O’Steen are the only players on the roster who also played in the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup when the USA took third, its best finish since the inaugural tournament in 2008. O’Steen won the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper in that tournament despite being just 16 years old.

2025 U.S. Under-17 Women’s World Cup Team Roster by Position (Club; Hometown; U-17 Caps/Goals):

Goalkeepers (3): Ella McNeal (St. Louis Scott Gallagher; Manchester, Mo.; 0), Evan O’Steen (Florida State; Grapevine, Texas; 12), Peyton Trayer (Slammers FC HB Koge; Aliso Viejo, Calif.; 6)

Defenders (6): Meila Brewer (UCLA; Overland Park, Kan.; 7/1), Pearl Cecil (Virginia; Encinitas, Calif.; 12/1), Natalie Chudowsky (New York SC; Westport, Conn.; 7/1), Cali O’Neill (North Carolina Courage Academy; Durham, N.C.; 6/0), Olivia Robinson (STA; Scotch Plains, N.J.; 1/0), Sydney Schmidt (North Carolina Courage; St. Johns, Fla.; 11/1)

Midfielders (6): Scottie Antonucci (Legends FC; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; 9/1), Riley Kennedy (UNC; Holly Springs, N.C.; 6/1), Jaiden Rodriguez (USC; San Diego, Calif.; 17/3), Chloe Sadler (La Roca FC; Hyde Park, Utah; 12/1), Anastasia Showler-Little (Players Development Academy; Boonton, N.J.; 4/0), Nyanya Touray (Florida State; Silver Spring, Md.; 10/7)

Forwards (6): Maddie DiMaria (St. Louis Scott Gallagher; Fenton, Mo.; 2/1), Micayla Johnson (Chicago Stars; Troy, Mich.; 15/7), Elayna Kocher (Penn Fusion SA; Allentown, Pa.; 6/0), Lauren Malsom (UNC; Marietta, Ga.; 7/4), KK Ream (Utah Royals; Herriman, Utah; 3/0), Mak Whitham (Gotham FC; Granite Bay, Calif.; 3/1)

ROSTER NOTES:

The U.S. has scored four goals in the last 15 minutes of the first half, more than any other team at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The USA won its first two group stage matches for the first time ever at the FIFA U-17 Worman’s World Cup.
Nyanya Touray and Lauren Malsom and became just the U.S. second and third players ever to have three goals in the first two matches at the U-17 WWC. Civana Kuhlmann had three goals (all in one match) after the first two matches in 2016.
Touray and Malsom are in the thick of the Golden Boot race with three goals apiece. The current leaders are Italy’s Giulia Galli and Spain’s Carlota Chacón, who each have four goals.
The U.S. scored five goals for the fifth time in a match at the U-17 WWC. The last time was a 5-0 win over Korea Republic in its final group stage match in 2024.
With forward Elayna Kocher, forward Anastasia Showler-Little and midfielder Mak Witham entering the match, all field players have logged minutes at the 2025 FIFA U-17 WWC.
Pearl Cecil picked up a yellow card against China PR. She joins Jaiden Rodriguez and Scottie Antonucci as the only players with yellow cards for the tournament. One more caution for any of the players before the quarterfinal round would result in a one-game suspension.
The USA held possession for 70.2% of the match to China PR’s 29.8%
The U.S. improved to 4W-5L-1D all time against AFC teams at the FIFA U-17 WWC
Going back to last year’s third-place match, the U.S. has won its last three FIFA U-17 WWC matches. The USA has never won four straight.

U-17 WNT VS. NORWAY

The USA has never faced Norway in a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
This is Norway’s first-ever appearance at a FIFA U-17 WWC.
Norway was a finalist at the 2025 UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship, falling to the Netherlands 2-1 in the final.
Norway finished second in Group A of qualifying, defeated the Faroe Island 10-0 in their opening match before losing 2-0 to the Netherlands and drawing 0-0 with Austria. The second-place finish got them to the semifinals and a spot in the 2025 FIFA U-17 WWC. After defeating Italy 3-1 in the semifinals, Norway lost in the final.

2025 NORWAY FIFA U-17 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB)

GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Maria Kroken (Lyn 1896), 12-Sara Holte (AaFK Fortuna), 21-Tiril Sand (Rosenborg BK)

DEFENDERS (8): 2-Ebba Niss (Kolbotn IL), 3-Nathalie Skeide (SK Brann), 4-Millie Flo (Stabæk IF), 5-Lea Ellingsen (Kolbotn IL), 13-Sandra Pallesen-Nygard (Stabæk IF), 17-Isa Lund (SK Brann), 18-Maria Hagen (HamKam), 19-Sunniva Hjertvik (FK Haugsund),

MIDFIELDERS (6): 6-Aida Berg (Kolbotn IF), 7-Tomine Enger (Valerenga Fotball Elite), 8-Sigrid Gamst (Kolbotn IL), 15-Celia Halvorsen (Stabæk IF), 16-Maren Fuglas (Rosenborg BK), 20-Elida Kolbjornsen (Olympique Lyonnais/FRA)

FORWARDS (4): 9-Julie Steen (Røa IL), 10-Heidi Halbmayr (Arna-Bjørnar), 11-Christina Herseth (LSK Kvinner FK), 14-Amalie Lia (Kolbotn)