New York City FC will now have multiple representatives at this November’s FIFA U-17 World Cup, as Homegrown forward Zidane Yáñez made the Chile squad for the tournament, it was announced yesterday.
The 17-year-old Yáñez, who signed with New York City in December 2023 on a first-team contract that runs through 2028, is one of 21 players heading to Qatar to represent Chile as they compete in Group K against France, Canada, and Uganda.
Yáñez made six appearances, all starts, for the Chile U-17s during the U-17 South American Championships, the tournament that decided who qualified for this November’s World Cup in Qatar.
Chile lost to Brazil in the semifinals and ultimately finished in 4th Place in the competition – but reaching the semis was enough to guarantee the country a spot in the expanded 48-team U-17 World Cup.
Chile got one banger of a goal from Yáñez during qualifying, and he’s now one of six forwards called up for the full tournament which runs from Monday, November 3, through a final played on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27.
all at Aspire Zone, Al Rayyan, Qatar
• vs France
Wednesday, November 5
10:45 am ET
Watch/Stream: Fox Soccer Plus, Telemundo Deportes Ahora
• vs Uganda
Saturday, November 8
7:30 am ET
Watch: Telemundo
• vs Canada
Tuesday, November 11
7:30 am ET
Watch/Stream: Telemundo Deportes Ahora, Fox Soccer Plus
This could be your first time in a long time to see Yáñez in action. The teen attacker only made five appearances for New York City FC II in MLS Next Pro this season, with his last game action coming way back on May 9 when he recorded an assist in 11 minutes played as a sub in NYCFC II’s 5-2 Junior Hudson River Derby win over Red Bulls II at Belson Stadium in Queens.
Yáñez was even an unused substitute for Pascal Jansen and the MLS team on one occasion in 2025, called up and on the bench for the team’s away loss at Gillette Stadium against New England Revolution on April 19. He’s still waiting for his breakthrough at MLS or even at MLS Next Pro level, but Yáñez now gets an international showcase against a few high-profile opponents in the group stage in Qatar.
The 17-year-old represents Chile currently, but he also remains eligible internationally for both the United States and Puerto Rico – he represented each nation at youth levels in 2023, though has been with La Roja steadily since. You never know, maybe he’ll end up matching up against NYCFC Academy teammate Máximo Carrizo and the United States U-17s in the knockout rounds.
