FIFA praises Niu Ziqi as China U17 advance

Late at night on October 29 (Beijing time), in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, China U17 Women’s National Team advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in history, eliminating France U17 after a 4-3 penalty shootout victory. China’s goalkeeper Niu Ziqi saved two penalties, becoming one of the biggest heroes in the team’s progress. After the match, FIFA published a glowing tribute, writing: Niu Ziqi stood tall at the crucial moments—she is the hero of the team’s qualification!

During the group stage, China U17 Women’s National Team defeated Kenya U17 (3-0), Samoa U17 (7-0), and the USA U17 (3-2), finishing top of Group E and advancing to the knockout stage. In the Round of 16 against France, both teams failed to score in regular time, sending the match directly to a dramatic penalty shootout. Niu Ziqi saved France’s penalties in the first and fifth rounds, helping China secure victory 4-3 on penalties. With this result, China set a new milestone by reaching the last eight of the tournament.

It is worth noting that Niu Ziqi made several impressive saves against strong French attacks during regular time. In the penalty shootout, she showed remarkable composure beyond her age, repeatedly guessing the right direction of France’s penalties and playing a crucial role in the team’s historic triumph.