Spain have won the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after defeating defending champions North Korea 4-3 on penalties following a goalless final in Łódź, Poland, on Sunday.
Gatekeepers News reports that neither side managed to score during the 90 minutes or extra time, forcing the title to be decided from the penalty spot.
Spain goalkeeper Laia López emerged as the heroine, saving two penalties from Choe Yon-A and Pak Il-Sim to help her side secure the trophy. Spain converted four of their five attempts to win the shootout 4-3.
The victory gives Spain their second U-20 Women’s World Cup title, four years after their first triumph in Costa Rica in 2022.
The result also represented a reversal of the outcome from the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final, when North Korea defeated Spain on penalties.
Spain started the final strongly and created several opportunities, but North Korea goalkeeper Pak Ju-Gyong kept her side in the contest with important saves. López also produced a crucial stop in the first half after a defensive error left Ho Kyong with an opportunity.
Spain continued to apply pressure after the break, with Pau Comendador forcing another save from Pak in the 78th minute. Marisa Garcia also came close twice in extra time, but the North Korean goalkeeper denied her on both occasions.
Despite the defeat, North Korea completed the tournament without conceding a goal from open play, becoming the first team to achieve that feat at a FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Spain coach David Aznar praised his players after the victory, saying: “It was a very tough, very difficult match, and they made things extremely difficult for us.”
Spain defender Silvia Cristobal described the triumph as “the happiest day of our lives” and said the players had dreamed of lifting the trophy since they were young.
The victory adds another global title to Spain’s recent success in women’s football and comes after the country’s senior men’s team won the 2026 FIFA World Cup in July.
