Young Garudas Aim for Third Place in U-17 World Cup Group of Death
Jakarta. Indonesia’s U-17 national team head coach, Nova Arianto, is confident that the Garuda Muda can advance from the group stage of the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
In Monday’s group stage draw in Qatar, Indonesia was placed in Group H alongside football powerhouses Brazil, Honduras, and Zambia. The tournament will take place in Qatar from November 3 to 27, 2025.
While Brazil is the clear favorite, having won the FIFA U-17 World Cup four times (1997, 1999, 2003, and 2019), Nova Arianto set a realistic target for Indonesia: finishing third in the group. Under the tournament’s format, the top two teams from each group and the four best third-placed teams across all groups will advance to the round of 16.
“I hope the players have strong mental resilience because in 90 minutes of football, anything can happen,” Nova said Monday. “We aim to advance to the next round by at least finishing as one of the best third-placed teams.”
Nova acknowledged the challenges ahead but stressed the importance of mental strength and fan support. “We ask for prayers and support from all Indonesian football fans so that our preparations go smoothly and we can deliver our best performance,” he added.
The 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup will feature 48 teams divided into 12 groups (A to L). Indonesia’s chance to progress hinges not only on their group performance but also on securing a spot among the best third-placed teams, keeping hopes alive for a historic run in the tournament.
Full Group Stage Draw – 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup:
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Group A: Qatar, Italy, South Africa, Bolivia
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Group B: Japan, Morocco, New Caledonia, Portugal
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Group C: Senegal, Croatia, Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates
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Group D: Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji
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Group E: England, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt
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Group F: Mexico, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Switzerland
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Group G: Germany, Colombia, North Korea, El Salvador
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Group H: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Zambia
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Group I: United States, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, Czech Republic
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Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Republic of Ireland
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Group K: France, Chile, Canada, Uganda
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Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia
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