FIFA is set to stage a historic U-15 World Cup and Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, with a record 191 member associations expected to participate in the inaugural edition of the new youth competition.

The tournament, designed to provide international competitive opportunities for young players from across FIFA’s membership, will bring more than 3,000 players, coaches and officials to Azerbaijan. 

The event will be played in October, with teams arriving in Baku ahead of the competition. FIFA’s latest information states that the first matches will be played from October 24, while the event will conclude on October 30. 

The Hovsan Competition Complex will host the majority of the matches, while the opening match and tier finals are scheduled for the iconic Crystal Hall in Baku.

The tournament introduces a new format to youth international football, with matches played eight-a-side rather than the traditional 11-a-side format. Games will consist of two 20-minute halves, with the format designed to maximise playing opportunities and development for the youngsters. 

FIFA expects almost 1,000 matches to be played across six matchdays, with the tournament infrastructure capable of staging up to 20 matches simultaneously across multiple pitches.

Each participating association will be represented by a delegation of 14 players and up to six staff members. Eligible players must have been born in 2011 or 2012.

Rather than eliminating teams after an initial group phase, the competition will continue through different performance tiers. Results from the qualification stage will determine each team’s placement in the subsequent tournament stage, ensuring every participant continues playing until the final matchday. 

Six performance tiers will determine the final classification of the participating teams, with the winner of Tier A officially crowned the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival champion.

The competition is open to all FIFA member associations, regardless of their size or footballing tradition. FIFA says the initiative is intended to address the lack of meaningful international competition available to young players from countries that often struggle to qualify for established FIFA tournaments. 

FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger said the tournament is intended to give young players greater exposure to international football, different playing styles and cultures while encouraging member associations to invest further in youth development. 

The inaugural boys’ edition will also serve as the foundation for the expansion of the concept. FIFA plans to stage a girls’ U-15 edition in 2027, before introducing separate boys’ and girls’ competitions for all member associations from 2028 onwards. 

With 191 nations involved, the Baku festival represents one of FIFA’s largest-ever gatherings of youth teams and provides a new international platform for players at an important stage of their development.