FIFA Announce Technical Study Group for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026
FIFA has unveiled the Technical Study Group (TSG) for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026™, with the line-up comprising a quartet of highly experienced figures. The team will be led by FIFA Senior Football Expert and former Switzerland international goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbühler, who will be joined by Mo Marley, Tihana Nemčić Bojić and Asako Takakura..
The panel will observe and analyse all of the tournament in Morocco, identifying technical and tactical trends, as well as the standout performers amongst some of the most promising prospects in the women’s game. The trends are then presented on fifatrainingcentre.com , an innovative platform that is available to players and coaches worldwide.
Marley, Takakura and Nemčić have coached teams to international success during their careers. The trio will bring considerable experience at youth and senior levels of the game as the TSG delivers cutting-edge analysis at a competition that provides a platform for the next generation of women’s football talent.
More details about the members of the TSG for the tournament are provided below.
Mo Marley
Former coach Marley is one of the most respected tacticians to have plied their trade in the English women’s game. The Liverpool-born legend, who was capped 41 times by her country, possesses extensive coaching pedigree in international youth football. She led England’s women’s youth teams across several age categories during a distinguished
20-year tenure at The Football Association, where she played a prominent role in nurturing the talents of several rising stars who went on to feature for the Lionesses. Throughout her coaching career, Marley focused her efforts on fostering player development, creating high-performance environments and helping youth players to make the transition to the senior ranks. She served as a member of the TSG at last year’s edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup™.
Asako Takakura
An iconic figure in the Japanese women’s game, Takakura brings significant experience to the TSG line-up. The erstwhile midfielder turned out for a number of clubs in her homeland and had a one-season spell with US outfit Silicon Valley Red Devils. She represented the Nadeshiko on 79 occasions before hanging up her boots and moving into the dugout. She coached a number of her country’s women’s youth national teams and also took charge of the senior side. A six-time AFC Women’s Coach of the Year winner, Takakura has been an influential figure in player development and the growth of the women’s game in Japan. The Fukushima native boasts a strong understanding of technically sophisticated, possession-based football. Like Marley, Takakura was a member of the TSG at last year’s instalment of the competition.
Tihana Nemčić Bojić
Ex-Croatia international Tihana Nemčić Bojić is a seasoned tactician with a background in both women’s and men’s football. She has held coaching roles at club level in her country and has built a reputation for developing the talents of players in elite environments. The former captain and current head coach of the Croatian women’s senior futsal national team has helped to promote the growth and visibility of the ladies’ game in the Balkan nation and beyond. Nemčić’s knowledge of coaching, talent development, and the evolving tactical demands of the modern game will make her a valuable member of the TSG line-up.
Pascal Zuberbühler
Former Switzerland international goalkeeper Zuberbühler possesses impressive experience at the highest level of the game. In his role as FIFA Senior Football Expert, he leads technical analysis projects across men’s and women’s football, with a focus on tactical trends, goalkeeper development and the use of performance data in coaching. As the TSG lead, he will coordinate the panel’s work throughout the tournament and contribute to the identification of key trends and standout players.
Supporting the future of the game
During the competition, the TSG members will monitor the on-field action closely as they assess the technical, tactical and physical evolution of the sport. The group is tasked with selecting the recipients of certain individual awards to be handed out at the event.
The tournament at a glance
The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2026 will be the second of five consecutive editions of the annual event to be held in Morocco and feature 24 teams. The competition will take place from 17 October to 7 November 2026.
Defending champions DPR Korea will go in search of a fifth tournament title after they overcame the Netherlands in last year’s decisive match.
At the upcoming event, all encounters up to and including the semi-finals will be staged at the Women’s Football Complex in Rabat. The Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium, also located in the Moroccan capital, will host both the bronze final and the tournament decider.
The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup has witnessed the emergence of many stars who have gone on to shine in the senior international game. Indeed, some of those to have graced the tournament have subsequently tasted glory at the FIFA Women’s World Cup™. Three members of the Spanish squad that reigned supreme at the 2018 edition of the U-17 showpiece – Cata Coll, Eva Navarro and Salma Paralluelo – played their part as La Roja secured their maiden global crown in 2023.
