The draw ended a nervous wait for the 16 qualified nations as they discovered the identity of their rivals in the group phase. The opening match will pit hosts Azerbaijan against Colombia in Baku on September 22.
The Oceania representatives are New Zealand’s Young Football Ferns and they have been handed a difficult assignment in a strong-looking pool.
Coach Paul Temple and his charges were drawn in Group C and will take on Brazil, Japan and Mexico as they look to progress to the knockout stages.
The draw was presided over by Tatjana Haenni, FIFA’s Head of Women’s Competitions, and carried out by Dutch star Ronald de Boer and Azerbaijan coach Berti Vogts as well as two stars from the Azerbaijan U-17 women’s team, Amina Heydarova and Aysun Aliyeva. Among the musical performers on the evening were Azerbaijan’s Sevda Alekberzade and Safura.
The tournament will take place between September 22 and October 13 in Baku and Lankaran. The top two finishers from each group will advance to the quarter-finals.
Groups for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
Group A: Azerbaijan, Colombia, Nigeria, Canada
Group B: France, USA, Korea DPR, Gambia
Group C: Mexico, New Zealand, Brazil, Japan
Group D: Uruguay, China PR, Ghana, Germany