Spain wins U-20 Women’s World Cup after penalty shootout against DPR Korea

Spain beat defending champions DPR Korea 4-3 on penalties after a goalless match to win the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Łódź, Poland, on Sunday.

A report from FIFA on Sunday night highlighted that Spain goalkeeper Laia Lopez was the star of the shootout. She saved penalties from Choe Yon-A and Pak Il-Sim, helping La Rojita secure their second U-20 Women’s World Cup title.

The final was closely fought, with neither team managing to score during the regular 90 minutes or in extra time.

Lopez made a crucial save in the first half. She came off her line to block a shot from Ho Kyong after the DPR Korea substitute picked up the ball just outside the area due to a mistake by the Spanish defense.

Spain pushed harder in the second half. Pau Comendador forced a great diving save from DPR Korea goalkeeper Pak Ju-Gyong in the 78th minute.

Marisa Garcia also threatened for Spain during extra time, but Pak made two key saves to deny her.

In the end, the match was decided by penalties, with Lopez saving two shots to win the trophy for Spain.

This victory is Spain’s second U-20 Women’s World Cup title, following their win in 2022 in Costa Rica. It also means Spain has won two global titles in a row, after their senior men’s team won the FIFA World Cup in July.

Spain coach David Aznar expressed joy over the win. He said the title completed "a beautiful cycle" for his players.

"For us, it was a way to bring a beautiful cycle to a close with a brilliant generation that has achieved so much success at youth level. The players made a tremendous effort. I’m very happy for them, especially to see them happy and rewarded for all their hard work. It was a very tough match, and they made things extremely difficult for us," Aznar said.

Spain defender Silvia Cristobal shared her excitement. She said they had dreamed of lifting the trophy since they were young.

"I think it’s the happiest day of our lives. We’ve dreamed of being here and lifting this long-awaited trophy since we were little. We’re incredibly happy and extremely proud of the result and everything we’ve achieved," Cristobal said.

DPR Korea coach Han Chol-Hak expressed pride in his players despite the loss.

"After the game, all of our players were crying, and that really broke my heart. I tried to comfort them. As the head coach, I believe they all did their best. So I’m very proud of them," Han said.

This final was a repeat of the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final, where DPR Korea defeated Spain 4-3 on penalties.

DPR Korea also made history in Poland by being the first team to finish a FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup tournament without conceding a goal.

Spain forward Pau Comendador became the first player to win two adidas Golden Boot awards in different FIFA women’s youth tournaments. She previously won the award at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup with five goals.