The countdown is over, the FIFA U-20 World Cup kicks off in Chile tomorrow, and Oceania’s brightest young stars are set to step onto the global stage. First up Oceania champions New Zealand, who face the daunting task of opening against the host nation in front of an electric crowd expected to top 40,000 at Santiago’s iconic Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos.
Chris Greenacre’s men know exactly what’s at stake. Drawn into Group A alongside the hosts, Egypt and Japan, the Junior All Whites will look to extend their remarkable record of reaching the Round of 16 in four consecutive editions. But against a passionate Chilean side backed by a sea of red, their tournament opener promises to be anything but straightforward.
“We came over to Chile for a tour in June and played them twice,” Greenacre told FIFA from Santiago. “It’s clear that they really love their football. It’s on every channel, and the passion of the fans makes it so special.” He told FIFA.
For Greenacre, this match is exactly the kind of moment that defines careers.
“When the draw came out and we avoided the heavyweights like Argentina and Brazil, I was really hoping we’d land Chile. These are potentially life-changing matches for our players.”
Joining New Zealand as Oceania’s representatives are New Caledonia, who qualified after reaching the final of the year’s OFC U-19 Championship where they lost 4-0 to New Zealand.
This marks their first-ever FIFA U-20 World Cup appearance, having qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup three times.
Pierre Wajoka’s side, nicknamed Les Cagous, will battle through Group E, beginning against the USA before facing South Africa and tournament giants France.
Midfield dynamo Jytrhim Upa is relishing the chance to test himself against some of the world’s best, despite acknowledging the steep climb ahead.
“It’s almost a group of death. We’ll be facing players who are already professionals like [Senny] Mayulu from Paris Saint-Germain. Our main goal is simple: fight for a draw, get at least one point. Just to come away from our first U-20 World Cup with something to show will be a success.” Upa told FIFA.
New Caledonia’s determination is fuelled by lessons from the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia, where they endured heavy defeats against England, Brazil, and Iran. This time, the squad is desperate to show they can compete and surprise a few doubters along the way.
Group A: Chile, New Zealand, Japan, Egypt
Group B: Korea Republic, Ukraine, Paraguay, Panama
Group C: Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, Spain
Group D: Italy, Australia, Cuba, Argentina
Group E: USA, New Caledonia, France, South Africa
Group F: Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Nigeria
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(Feature image photo credit FIFA via Getty Images)