For the first time since 2016, the USA are back in the semifinals of a FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup and will be looking to make their first final appearance since 2012, which is also the last time that the USA has won a U-20 WWC title. In the Americans’ way is the team from North Korea, who are officially known as “Korea DPR” in the context of international soccer.
Joining the USA and Korea DPR as semifinalists are Japan and Netherlands. None of the four teams are strangers to this stage of of a U-20 WWC, as each has made at least one prior semifinals appearance. Of the four, the USA leads in the hardware department, winning this tournament three times.
Both semifinals will take place on Wednesday, September 18th, starting at 5:30 p.m. EDT for the USA vs. Korea DPR match.
In the United States, the semifinals will be shown live on FOX Sports 2 and will be streamed live with Spanish-language commentary via Telemundo Deportes.
MATCH SCHEDULE & TV/STREAMING DETAILS
TV: In the USA, the semifinals will only be televised on FOX Sports 2, which should be available to most cable/satellite/etc. subscribers.
Streaming: All matches can be streamed live with Spanish-language commentary via Telemundo Deportes and English-language commentary via FOX Sports. Viewers will need to link their TV provider account in order to access either of these streaming sources. For more details, see this earlier post.
- For Telemundo Deportes, one can use the NBC.com website and the NBC Sports app
- For FOX Sports, one can use the FOX Sports app and FOXSports.com
USA vs. Korea DPR
- Date: Wednesday, September 18th
- Kick-Off Time: 5:30 p.m. EDT
- TV: FOX Sports 2
- Streaming (English-language commentary): FOX Sports app, FOXSports.com
- Streaming (Spanish-language commentary): NBC Sports app, NBC.com
- FIFA match page (live match details and stats)
- Referee: Ivana Martinčić (Croatia)
Japan vs. Netherlands
- Date: Wednesday, September 18th
- Kick-Off Time: 9:00 p.m. EDT
- TV: FOX Sports 2
- Streaming (English-language commentary): FOX Sports app, FOXSports.com
- Streaming (Spanish-language commentary): NBC Sports app, NBC.com
- FIFA match page (live match details and stats)
- Referee: Karen Hernández (Mexico)
TEAM CAPSULES
USA
Senior WNT Rank: #1
How They Qualified: Finished 2nd in the 2023 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship, losing to Mexico in the final.
How They Got Here:
- Bested Germany 3:1 in a penalty shootout following a 2:2 draw (aet) in the Quarterfinals
- Defeated Mexico 3:2 (aet) in the Round of Sixteen
- Defeated Paraguay 7-nil in the Group Stage (finished 2nd in Group C)
- Defeated Morocco 2-nil in the Group Stage
- Lost to Spain nil-1 in the Group Stage
Top Goal-Scorers: Pietra Tordin (4), Ally Sentnor (2*), Maddie Dahlien (2), Jordynn Dudley (2), Yuna McCormack (2) — Sentnor’s tally does not include the equalizer against Germany as that has been reclassified as an own goal.
NWSL Players (8): Emeri Adames (Seattle Reign), Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Riley Jackson (North Carolina Courage), Savy King (Bay FC), Ally Lemos (Orlando Pride), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC) — see here for the full USA roster
Previous U-20 WWC Results: 3x Champions (2002, 2008, 2012), 1x 3rd Place (2004), 2x 4th Place (2006, 2016), 2x Quarterfinals exit (2010, 2014), 2x Group Stage exit (2018, 2022)
Injury Notes: Midfielder Claire Hutton was unavailable for the quarterfinals match as she was in concussion protocol. Her availability for the semifinal has not yet been confirmed. Forward Jordynn Dudley was unavailable for the second and third group stage matches due to concussion protocol.
Korea DPR
Senior WNT Rank: #9
How They Qualified: Korea DPR qualified as the best team out of Asia, winning the 2024 Under-20 Women’s Asian Cup, where they defeated Japan in the final and in the earlier group phase of the tournament.
How They Got Here:
- Defeated Brazil 1-nil in the Quarterfinals
- Defeated Austria 5:2 in the Round of Sixteen (Austria played with 10 players for the final 60 minutes)
- Defeated the Netherlands 2-nil in the Group Stage (finished 1st in Group F)
- Defeated Costa Rica 9-nil in the Group Stage
- Defeated Argentina 6:2 in the Group Stage
Top Goal-Scorers: Choe Il-son (4), Chae Un-yong (3), Pak Mi-ryong (3), Sin Hyang (3), Choe Kang-ryon (2), Jong Kum (2), Kim Song-gyong (2)
Previous U-20 WWC Results: 2x Champions (2006, 2016), 1x 2nd Place (2008), 3x Quarterfinals exit (2010, 2012, 2018)
Japan
Senior WNT Rank: #7
How They Qualified: Japan qualified as the second-best team out of Asia, finishing as the runner-up of the 2024 Under-20 Women’s Asian Cup. In that tournament they lost to Korea DPR twice, first in the group phase and again in the championship match.
How They Got Here:
- Defeated Spain 1-nil (aet) in the Quarterfinals
- Defeated Nigeria 2:1 in the Round of Sixteen
- Defeated Austria 2-nil in the Group Stage (finished 1st in Group E)
- Defeated Ghana 4-nil in the Group Stage
- Defeated New Zealand 7-nil in the Group Stage
Top Goal-Scorers: Maya Hijikata (5), Chinari Sasai (3), Miku Hayama (2), Miyu Matsunaga (2)
NWSL Player: Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage)
Previous U-20 WWC Results: Champions (2018), 2nd Place (2022), 2x 3rd Place (2012, 2014), 2x Quarterfinals exit (2002, 2008), 1x Group Stage exit (2010)
Netherlands
Senior WNT Rank: #11
How They Qualified: Topped their group in the 2023 UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship, but lost in the semifinals to Spain by a goal to nil.
How They Got Here:
- Bested Colombia 3-nil in the penalty shootout after a 2:2 draw (aet) in the Quarterfinals
- Defeated France 2:1 (aet) in the Round of Sixteen
- Lost to Korea DPR nil-2 in the Group Stage (finished 2nd in Group F)
- Drew 3:3 with Argentina in the Group Stage
- Defeated Costa Rica 2-nil in the Group Stage
Top Goal-Scorers: Veerle Buurman (2), Fleur Stoit (2)
Previous U-20 WWC Results: 4th Place (2022), Quarterfinals exit (2018)
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