2003 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in United Arab Emirates between 27 November and 19 December 2003. The 2003 championship was the 14th contested. The competition was originally planned to be played earlier in that year, but was moved because of the Iraq War.
Venues
Qualification
The following 24 teams qualified for the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.| Confederation | Qualifying Tournament | Qualifier |
| AFC | Host nation | |
| AFC | 2002 AFC Youth Championship | |
| CAF | 2003 African Youth Championship | |
| CONCACAF | 2003 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament | |
| CONMEBOL | 2003 South American Youth Championship | |
| OFC | 2002 OFC U-20 Championship | |
| UEFA | 2002 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship | |
Squads
For a list of all squads that played in the final tournament, see 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship squads.Group stage
The 24 teams were split into six groups of four teams. Six group winners, six second-place finishers and the four best third-place finishers qualify for the knockout round.Group A
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Status |
| 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | Referred to the ranking of third-placed teams | |
| 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
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Group B
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Status |
| 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 | Referred to the ranking of third-placed teams | |
| 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | −3 |
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Group C
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Status |
| 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | +2 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | Referred to the ranking of third-placed teams | |
| 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 |
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Group D
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Status |
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Referred to the ranking of third-placed teams | |
| 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 |
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Group E
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Status |
| 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | Referred to the ranking of third-placed teams | |
| 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 |
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Group F
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Status |
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | Advanced to the round of 16 | |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | −1 | Referred to the ranking of third-placed teams | |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 |
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Ranking of third-placed teams
Knockout stages
Bracket
Round of 16
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Quarter-finals
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Semi-finals
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Third place play-off
----Final
Result
| 2nd Place | 3rd Place | 4th Place |
Awards
Goalscorers
;4 goals;3 goals
;2 goals
- Osmar Ferreyra
- Anthony Danze
- Erwin Carrillo
- Jaime Castrillón
- Victor Montano
- David Limberský
- Stephen Paisley
- Sota Hirayama
- Mamadi Berthe
- Sergio García
- Bobby Convey
- Alexander Geynrikh
- 57 players with one goal.
Final ranking