Morocco U-15 crash out of World Cup after Paraguay defeat

Morocco’s U-15 national team have been eliminated from the 2026 FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival after suffering a 1-0 defeat by Paraguay in the round of 16 on Wednesday.

The Atlas Cubs saw their six-match winning run come to an end at the Hovsan Complex in Baku, Azerbaijan, as Paraguay secured the narrow victory to advance to the next round.

The defeat ended Morocco’s hopes of winning the inaugural tournament, despite an impressive campaign that saw the North African side dominate the group stage before progressing through Tier A.

Morocco impress in group stage

Morocco, coached by Karim Meftal, began their campaign on October 24 with a 2-0 victory over the Philippines before beating Costa Rica 4-2.

The young Atlas Cubs continued their strong form with a 6-0 win over Belize and a commanding 7-0 victory against Curaçao. They completed the group stage with a 5-1 triumph over Liberia.

Those results saw Morocco finish top of Group F with a perfect record of five wins from five matches. They scored 24 goals and conceded just three to collect 15 points.

Their performances secured a place in Tier A, where teams compete for the main tournament title.

Six-match winning streak ends

Morocco carried their impressive form into the knockout stage, defeating Cameroon 4-1 on Wednesday to reach the round of 16.

Saïd Noufii scored twice, finding the net in the third and 39th minutes, while Yassine Ajana and Adam Mimouni also scored in the 27th and 28th minutes respectively.

However, the Atlas Cubs were unable to maintain that momentum against Paraguay, who edged them 1-0 to bring their tournament journey to an end.

Despite the disappointment, Morocco’s results in Azerbaijan highlighted the team’s attacking potential and ability to compete against international opposition.

Tournament offers valuable experience

The 2026 FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival is the inaugural edition of the international youth competition, which runs in Baku from October 24 to 30.

The tournament uses an eight-a-side format, with matches played over two 20-minute halves. Teams progress through a qualification stage before being placed into different performance tiers.

Six tiers are featured, each with its own winner, while the Tier A champions will be crowned the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival winners.

Morocco’s squad included 14 players from various football academies and clubs across the country, with six representing the Mohammed VI Football Academy.

Head coach Meftal had previously highlighted the value of competing against teams from different countries, with the experience expected to help his players develop their understanding of different playing styles.

Morocco’s participation also forms part of the country’s wider youth football development efforts, following the senior national team’s run to the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finals and the U-20 side’s triumph at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Although their campaign ended in the round of 16, the Atlas Cubs leave Azerbaijan having recorded six consecutive victories before their defeat by Paraguay.