FIFA’s pioneering Under-15 World Cup gives every team a chance to play on in Baku

FIFA has launched the inaugural Under-15 World Cup in Baku, creating a new international competition designed to give young players from every football nation meaningful opportunities to play.

The event was approved by the FIFA Council in December 2025 and brings together 189 national teams. Almost 1,000 matches are scheduled, with the tournament’s infrastructure capable of staging 20 games at the same time.

More than 3,000 players and officials are in the Azerbaijani capital, including representatives of 78 associations taking part in a FIFA competition for the first time.

“Football belongs to everyone,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said during the opening ceremony, outlining the principle behind the tournament.

Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global football development and one of the project’s architects, said: “Talent is everywhere, but opportunities are not equal.”

The aim is to give a child from the Pacific islands or the forests of Africa the same chance to play against different football schools as a youngster from Madrid or Munich.

Why Baku was chosen

Azerbaijan was selected in June 2026, with its existing facilities also supporting preparations to co-host the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2027.

Most matches are being staged at the large Hovsan complex, which can host 20 games simultaneously. Crystal Hall is being used for the opening and closing ceremonies.

FIFA is covering the full travel and accommodation costs for every delegation, helping smaller associations take part.

The competition is divided into two stages. During the group phase, held from 24-26 October, each team plays four or five matches.

From 28-30 October, all teams are placed into six levels, from A to F, according to their results. Every side continues playing until the final day, with the winner of Level A crowned world champion.

The format is intended to support player development and protect the psychological wellbeing of participants. There is no elimination phase and no team is sent home early.

Matches are played eight-a-side, with two 20-minute halves on a 68×47-metre pitch. Full-size goals are used, substitutions are unlimited and kick-ins replace throw-ins. The format is expected to produce between 950 and 1,000 matches in one week.

A global football festival

Since the tournament began on 24 October 2026, 279 matches were played in the opening two days.

FIFA estimates that about 700 players travelled outside their home countries for the first time to compete. Teams from all six continental confederations have recorded at least one victory, reflecting the relative balance created by the format.

The event has also taken on the character of a cultural festival, with teams seen dancing and playing music around the Hovsan sports complex.

Unlike the FIFA Under-17 and FIFA Under-20 World Cups, which rely on qualification and knockout football, the Under-15 competition prioritises participation, education and cultural exchange alongside matches.

The 2027 edition will be for girls. From 2028, the tournament will be held annually, with separate boys’ and girls’ competitions. Baku 2026 is intended as the starting point for a broader approach to talent development, offering a platform to a group of players previously given little international attention.