FIFA U-17 World Cup Cup - Know your team: Australia

Kuala Lumpur: Australia return to the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time since Brazil 2019 and will be determined to make a deep run at Qatar 2026..

Drawn in Group C alongside Argentina, Denmark and Mozambique, Australia will look to make the most of their return to the global stage under head coach Carl Veart.

Factfile
Previous appearances: 13
Best finish: Runners-up (1999)
2025 result: Did not qualify
How they qualified: AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026™ semi-finalists
Head coach: Carl Veart
Group C fixtures - Nov 19 v Argentina, Nov 22 v Denmark, Nov 25 v Mozambique
Fun fact: Five players in Australia’s 21-player squad have already made their A-League Men debuts.

The Joeys’ semi-final run at the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 secured their return to the World Cup. A 3-0 victory over Vietnam in the quarter-finals confirmed their place in the last four and qualification for Qatar.

After the Asian Cup, Australia continued their preparations at the CFA U17 Invitational Tournament in China and the Copa España U17 in Spain. They beat Nigeria 4-2 in China, then drew 0-0 with Morocco in Spain.

Veart’s squad includes 17 players from A-League Men clubs and four from European teams. Captain Besian Kutleshi, who plays for Melbourne City, is among those with senior football experience and will be one to watch in Qatar.

Know your team: Australia

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