The FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup starts today. Here are another player to watch
The start of the 2026 U20 Women’s World Cup is fast approaching. Who are some young superstars to be on the lookout for in this tournament?
Chloe Sarwie
Almost a year since making her senior debut in the UEFA Women’s Champions League at the age of 16, Chloe Sarwie is set to star in her first ever world cup tournament. A product of Chelsea FC’s youth academy, Sarwie plays primarily as a left back. The young defender has made several appearances for the English powerhouse club’s senior side in the past year, including a start in a WSL match against the London City Lionesses in which she made three tackles, one clearance, eight recoveries, and won three duels.
Be on the lookout for Sarwie’s defensive and offensive play in this tournament where she is likely to start at left back. In particular, her progressive passing will help England perform well at the U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Noa Fukushima
This is not Japanese midfielder Noa Fukushima’s first world cup tournament. She starred for Japan in the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, scoring in each of her country’s group stage matches. In April 2026, Fukushima continued her dominance on the world stage, winning the Most Valuable Player award at the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup as she finished the tournament with five goals and three assists.
Fukushima is a playmaking midfielder known for her ability to win the ball back and keep a hold of it through her exceptional ball control. She’s shown that she is capable of converting skill into production with goals and assists, so she’s definitely one to watch in this tournament.
Rosalía Dominguez
Rosalía Dominguez is only 17 years old and already has a league title, earning Liga F honors with Barcelona after making her senior debut for the decorated Spanish club in the 2025-26 season. The teenager is not new to international tournaments, winning the UEFA Women’s U-19 Championship with Spain earlier this year. She earned the Player of the Tournament award in that same competition after netting three goals and assisting another four, including the game-winning goal in the final against Germany.
Watch out for Dominguez on the left side for Spain as she will surely continue her streak of goal contributions with her intelligent movements both on and off the ball.
Janet Akekoromowei
Not many young players in this tournament play professionally for the first team of a UEFA Women’s Champions League club, but Janet Akekoromowei has more than earned this unique opportunity. She recently signed a deal with Portuguese powerhouse Benfica through 2028 with an option to extend for an additional two seasons. Akekoromowei started playing football by chance, and was such a natural goalscoring talent that she caught the attention of clubs abroad. In her first ever season in the NWFL Premiership, the top-level of women’s football in Nigeria, she finished second in the golden boot race and earned Most Valuable Player honors in her very first season at only 17 years old.
Fittingly, Akekoromowei plays as a striker. Watch out for her explosive goalscoring for Nigeria in this tournament.
Weronika Araśniewicz
It’s not often that a footballer from Poland finds herself playing for historic and decorated clubs abroad like Barcelona and VfL Wolfsburg, but that is exactly the situation that 18-year-old Weronika Araśniewicz has found herself in in her still young footballing career.
The midfielder spent two seasons with FC Barcelona’s reserves before being sent on loan to VfL Wolfsburg II. Wolfsburg liked her so much that after only one season with their B team, she was promoted to the senior team on a two-year deal. Araśniewicz’s impressive accomplishments don’t end there. She has also received caps at the senior international level, representing Poland in 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying matches earlier this year.
Araśniewicz has already earned the attention of her senior national team, so she’s sure to make an impact from the midfield as Poland competes on home soil.
