FIFA has assembled a technical study group for a 48-team youth World Cup in Doha, scheduled from 19 November to 13 December, according to FIFA's 9 November announcement. Pascal Zuberbühler will lead its work under Arsène Wenger's guidance.
Who is in the technical study group
FIFA's published line-up names Otto Addo, Andy Boyens, Wilmer Cabrera, Marcin Dorna, Simone Jatobá, Jayne Ludlow, Bambang Pamungkas and Aron Winter. The group brings together former international players, youth coaches and technical directors. Zuberbühler, a former Switzerland goalkeeper and FIFA senior football expert, heads the panel.
The members have different routes into youth football. Addo has coached Ghana's senior national side, while Boyens works as New Zealand Football's technical director. Cabrera has coached United States youth teams, and Dorna is sporting director of the Polish Football Association. Jatobá and Ludlow have led women's national teams, while Winter has coached Suriname.
FIFA says Tom Gardner's Football Performance Insights analysts will support the experts by collecting tactical, technical and physical observations. FIFA Senior Football Expert Pascal Zuberbühler told FIFA: “Our core work is observation and analysis.” He said the group will assess team performances, coaching choices and emerging players, then prepare insights for member associations.
How the group fits FIFA's youth tournament
According to FIFA's 9 November announcement, the youth World Cup is now annual and Doha is due to host it through 2029. FIFA says the regular tournament and expanded field give players from different football cultures a recurring international stage. The study group is designed to compare patterns across those teams, rather than judge a single match in isolation.
SportsRivo compared FIFA's current line-up with its previous Qatar study group announcement. Simone Jatobá and Aron Winter are named in both. That continuity matters because the two have experience of FIFA's earlier tournament analysis, while the new group also adds other coaching and technical backgrounds.
What the appointments mean for the tournament
- Member associations are due to receive reports and insights from the group's assessment of team performances and coaching trends. That gives coaches material to review after the matches.
- FIFA says observed trends will be presented through its Training Centre, making the panel's technical work available to players and coaches beyond the event.
- The study group will also help select the Golden Ball and Golden Glove winners. Its player assessments therefore feed into individual tournament honours as well as broader development work.
What happens next in Doha
The panel's observations are scheduled to begin with tournament play in Doha. FIFA says it will analyse performances and publish insights after studying the football on the pitch; those conclusions will depend on what the teams actually produce.
Source: FIFA