FIFA World Cup for Under-15s kicks off with 191 teams participating

The first edition of the FIFA World Cup for Under-15s will kick off on Saturday, October 24, 2026, in a new experience organized by FIFA in Azerbaijan, featuring 191 national teams in an exceptional tournament that includes nearly 1000 matches over six days of competition.

The tournament is an initiative led by Frenchman Arsène Wenger, the head of global football development at FIFA, aimed at giving as many young talents as possible the opportunity to participate in international competitions. This allows players aged 14 to 15 to gain experience and encourages national federations to increase their investments in youth development.

A new system and wide participation.

The tournament differs from traditional FIFA World Cup formats, as it will not rely on a knockout system after the group stage, but will give all teams the opportunity to continue competing, regardless of their results in the first round.

The 191 teams have been divided into 32 groups, most of which contain six teams, with each team set to play four or five matches in the first stage. After this, the teams will be redistributed according to their results into six competitive categories, named levels A to F.

In the second round, known as the championship stage, teams will play four or five additional matches against teams with similar results, aiming to provide more balanced encounters and ensure continued participation until the end of the competitions.

The World Cup trophy will be awarded to the team that wins at level A, while the teams that win at the other five levels will receive titles in their respective categories.

## Matches with eight players

FIFA has adopted a different system for matches, featuring eight players per team, including the goalkeeper, over a duration of 40 minutes, divided into two halves of 20 minutes each.

The matches will take place on pitches measuring 68 meters long and 47 meters wide, while maintaining the legal dimensions of the goal. Each national team will have a squad of 14 players, along with a maximum of six members from the technical and administrative staff.

The capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, will host most of the matches, specifically the Hovsan Complex for competitions, which allows for up to 20 matches to be held at the same time on multiple pitches, with wide participation expected to attract more than 3,000 people including players, coaches, and delegation members.

An annual tournament will begin in 2028.

The project is not limited to the 2026 edition, as FIFA plans to hold a special tournament for women's national teams under 15 years old in 2027, before organizing annual tournaments for men and women starting in 2028.

The tournament represents a new experience in the development of global football, focusing on expanding the base of international participation and providing greater opportunities for young players, away from the limitation of major competitions to a limited number of federations and national teams.