Baku hosts first FIFA U15 World Cup, built so every team keeps playing

At this World Cup, teams will not be knocked out after the group stage. In Baku, the young footballers taking part in the FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival will keep playing until the final day, whatever their position after the group stage. It is one of the distinctive features of this inaugural boys' edition, which begins on Saturday 24 October 2026 in the Azerbaijani capital.

The event will bring together 189 FIFA member associations. For 78 of them, it will even be a first appearance at a FIFA World Cup, men's or women's, at any age level. Beyond the number of teams, the aim is to offer an international experience to young players who do not all have the same access to one.

African fixtures from the group stage

Several African sides are on the schedule, with clashes between countries from the continent in the opening days. Senegal and Cameroon meet in Group K, alongside Bahrain, Grenada, India and Laos. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Tunisia and Guinea-Bissau share Group D with Brazil, El Salvador and Nepal.

Algeria and Malawi will play in Group B, while Côte d'Ivoire and Mauritania will face each other in Group Y. Congo are in Group E, Morocco in Group F and Gabon in Group I.

Benin are in Group L, Mali in Group O, Mauritius in Group R and Madagascar in Group T. This line-up does not tell the whole story of African representation, but it will give the young players the chance to meet opponents with different styles of play.

For these teams, progress will therefore not depend solely on their ranking. Playing match after match, adapting to new opponents and learning to manage their efforts will also be part of the experience.

Eight-a-side, forty minutes and kick-ins

The format departs from that of a conventional World Cup. Teams will play eight-a-side, on pitches measuring 68 metres by 47. Matches will consist of two periods of twenty minutes, with unlimited substitutions. Another adaptation: throw-ins will be replaced by kick-ins.

These rules are meant to encourage more touches on the ball, quick decision-making and fast exchanges. They reflect one priority: giving players more opportunities to get involved in the game, rather than replicating the conditions of senior football.

Each team is due to play at least nine matches, with some playing up to ten. Nearly 950 matches are scheduled over six days of competition, with more than 3,000 participants, including players, coaches and officials. Most of the matches will be played at the Hovsan complex, while Baku's Crystal Hall will host the opening ceremony and the finals of each tier.

Six tiers to keep the tournament going to the end

The first phase will run from 24 to 26 October. After a rest day on the 27th, the teams will continue the competition from 28 to 30 October in six tiers, determined by their initial results.

Each tier will crown its own winner. The winner of Tier A will take the title of FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival champion. For the other teams, the value will lie in continuing their run against sides closer to their own level, instead of heading home after an early exit.

Learning off the pitch too

The delegations will be housed in a single athletes' village. Educational activities, life-skills programmes and a learning space will complement the matches. Exchanges between players and staff from different countries are part of the project.

Arsène Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, backs the idea: talent is found everywhere, but opportunities to train and to test themselves against international opponents remain unequal. The Baku event is meant to help narrow that gap from the earliest stages of players' careers.

This boys' edition opens a series set to expand: a girls' tournament is planned for 2027, followed by two separate competitions, one for boys and one for girls, to be held every year from 2028, with all member associations invited.

In Baku, the African representatives will therefore have several chances to show what they can do, to put their mistakes right and to play again. The first lesson of this World Cup will also be just that: a missed match will not bring their week to an end.