Puerto Rico's U-17 women's team debuts at FIFA World Cup on Saturday
The national squad will face North Korea in its first-ever appearance in a FIFA World Cup in any category, playing in Morocco as one of four Concacaf representatives.
File photoThe short version
- Telemundo Puerto Rico reports the team makes history Saturday against two-time defending champions North Korea at the Mohammed VI Football Complex
- Concacaf states Puerto Rico is the first team from the country in any category to qualify for a FIFA World Cup after finishing as the best runner-up in qualifiers
- The tournament runs from Oct. 17 to Nov. 7 in Rabat, Morocco with 24 teams divided into six groups
- The match will be broadcast live on Telemundo starting at 10:45 a.m. AST
Historic debut in Morocco
Puerto Rico's women's under-17 national soccer team will make its debut in a FIFA World Cup on Saturday when it faces North Korea in the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Telemundo Puerto Rico reported the match will take place at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Morocco.
According to Concacaf, this marks the first time any Puerto Rican team in any category or level has qualified for a FIFA World Cup. The team earned its spot by finishing as the best runner-up among the three groups in the 2026 Concacaf Women's U-17 Qualifiers.
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Concacaf representation and tournament format
Concacaf has four teams at the tournament: Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States. The 10th edition of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup is hosted by Morocco for the second consecutive time and runs from Oct. 17 to Nov. 7, 2026 in Rabat. The 24 teams are divided into six groups, with the top two from each group and the four best third-place teams advancing to the round of 16.
The Puerto Rican team will open against North Korea, the current back-to-back champions and four-time winners of the competition. Telemundo Puerto Rico reported the game can be seen live on the network beginning at 10:45 a.m.
Where the sources differ
Both sources agree that Puerto Rico's U-17 women's team is making history as the first from the country to reach a FIFA World Cup and that the debut match is against North Korea in Morocco this Saturday. Telemundo Puerto Rico focuses on the broadcast details and venue while Concacaf provides broader context on all four regional teams, their qualification paths, past results and the full tournament structure and dates. The sources do not conflict on any facts.
What the reports do not say
The sources do not specify which group Puerto Rico was drawn into, the exact kickoff time in local Moroccan time, the team's full roster or coaching staff, or what preparation the squad has had since qualifying. They also do not indicate whether additional matches or results will be broadcast on Puerto Rican television.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting ESTE SÁBADO - Selección Nacional Femenina Sub-17 debuta en Mundial de LA FIFA
- Official Todo lo que necesitas saber acerca de la Copa Mundial Femenina Sub-17 de la FIFA
How we checked this
Telemundo Puerto Rico and the official Concacaf website supplied the information for this article. Telemundo provided the broadcast time and venue specifics while Concacaf detailed the historic qualification context and tournament format. No other sources were used.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.