Sāmoa youth make football history, set to shine at FIFA U17 Women's World Cup

Sāmoa is making history this October by competing in their first-ever FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup™.

This follows a recent draw in Rabat, Morocco, where Sāmoa learned they will play in Group D against strong teams like Canada, France, and Nigeria.

The historic qualification came as a result of their impressive performance in the OFC U16 Women's Championship in Tahiti last year, allowing them to play on a global stage.

Last year, the Sāmoans finished second to New Zealand in the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) U16 Women’s Championship, which earned them this "incredible" opportunity.

The team participated in the Dallas Cup in the United States in April, becoming the first Pacific island team to reach the tournament's semifinals.

Head coach Juan Chang Urrea told the Samoa Observer that their participation was part of their preparation for the U17 World Cup, highlighting the need for high-level preparation in the Pacific.

He says the team plan to have another training camp in the US this month, with more warm-up matches scheduled before they head to Morocco for the World Cup.

With the women’s game reaching new milestones in Oceania in 2024 and going from strength to strength globally, Dame Sarai Bareman DNZM, FIFA’s Chief Women’s Football Officer, says she is "immensely" proud of how the sport has grown in Sāmoa.

Bareman, who is of Sāmoan heritage and a former captain of Sāmoa's national women’s team, was featured in the U17 draw ceremony in Morocco this week.

Dame Sarai Bareman DNZM is proud of Sāmoa football's milestone achievement. Photo/

“It’s a dream come true,” she had earlier told OFC's Ella Reilly about a Sāmoan national team qualifying for a FIFA World Cup at any level. “The buzz that it created in Sāmoa has been immense."

Bareman praised the team's support from their country and hopes for even more enthusiasm once the World Cup kicks off.

“The pride of the entire country getting behind that group of Under-17 girls has been amazing, and you can imagine, come the World Cup, that the country will come alive."

Bareman reflected on her own experiences and the emotional connection many Sāmoans, especially those living abroad, feel to their homeland when representing Sāmoa.

Growing up in New Zealand with a Sāmoan mother, she too struggled with feeling connected to her roots.

Bareman says football is important in her life. She shares how it all began in Sāmoa and hopes the young players today will find similar connections to their heritage through sport.

“To see them qualify for their first ever World Cup, not a men’s team but a women’s team and a youth women’s team at that, is absolutely incredible," she told Reilly.

"I’m so excited for Sāmoa, for those girls, for those athletes, and obviously I will do everything I can to support them in their journey towards that World Cup next year.”

Photo/OFC

The tournament in Morocco is not only significant for Sāmoa but also a noteworthy event. It will feature 24 teams, up from 16, making it the largest U17 Women's World Cup yet. Moreover, it is the first time a FIFA women's tournament is being held in Africa.

Meanwhile, New Zealand will also participate in the Moroccan tournament and have been pooled in Group F against Japan, Paraguay, and Zambia.

The World Cup, scheduled from 17 October to 8 November in Morocco, presents a unique opportunity for young athletes to showcase their talent and culture to the world.

North Korea, which have won the title a record four times, will defend their trophy in Morocco. New Zealand last hosted the tournament in 2008.