2026 FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival
International football competition
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The 2026 FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival will be the inaugural edition of the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival, a new international youth football competition organised by FIFA for boys' national teams of players up to the age of 15. It will be held in Azerbaijan from 22 to 31 October 2026.[1][2][3]
| 2026 FIFA U-15 Dünya Kuboku və Festivalı | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Host country | Azerbaijan |
| Dates | 22–31 October |
| Teams | TBC (from 6 confederations) |
2027 → | |
The tournament was created following the FIFA Council's approval, in December 2025, of a new U-15 competition for both boys' and girls' teams as part of FIFA's stated commitment to the development of youth football.[1] Azerbaijan was subsequently appointed as host by the Bureau of the FIFA Council, with the appointment announced on 25 June 2026.[1][4]
Host selection
FIFA stated that its decision to appoint Azerbaijan followed an assessment by the FIFA administration of the country's sporting and general infrastructure, including its capacity to host thousands of young players and accompanying staff and officials in a centralised location.[1] The Azerbaijan Football Federations Association (AFFA) said the decision reflected the country's modern sports infrastructure, facilities meeting international standards, and its experience of hosting major international competitions.[4]
FIFA also noted that Azerbaijan had previously been appointed as a co-host, alongside Uzbekistan, of the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup, and said that staging the inaugural U-15 event in the country provided "a sense of strategic continuity".[1][5] Azerbaijan had earlier hosted the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, as well as the 2019 UEFA Europa League final and matches at UEFA Euro 2020.[5]
The dates of the tournament, 22 to 31 October 2026, were confirmed by the Bureau of the Council on the basis of consultation with Azerbaijan and the existing international match calendar.[1]
Format
The 2026 edition is open to boys' under-15 national teams from FIFA member associations; FIFA said all 211 of its member associations were eligible to enter.[6] Reflecting the development-focused, "festival" nature of the event, matches are expected to be shorter than at other FIFA tournaments and played on smaller pitches, with teams fielding between seven and nine players per side rather than the conventional eleven.[5]
Because the Russian Football Union remains a FIFA member despite the suspension of Russian senior and youth national teams from international competition following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the open eligibility criteria for the tournament were reported to potentially allow a Russian U-15 team to take part, a possibility welcomed by some Russian officials.[7]
Venues
Venues for the tournament had not been confirmed as of the announcement of Azerbaijan as host.
Teams
Qualification arrangements for the 2026 tournament had not been confirmed as of the announcement of the host nation.
Controversies
The hosting decision drew comment from human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, who have said that the Azerbaijani government uses high-profile sporting events as a means of diverting attention from domestic human rights concerns, criticism that has also accompanied other major events hosted by the country.[5]