World football’s governing body will break new ground next month when Baku hosts the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026, bringing together an unprecedented 191 member associations.
The nine-day tournament kicks off on October 22nd and runs through to the finals on October 30th in Azerbaijan’s capital.
Designed to provide meaningful international competition for developing nations that rarely qualify for traditional major tournaments, the festival offers global benchmarking opportunities for emerging players, coaches, and technical staff worldwide.
The competition will adopt an innovative eight-a-side (8v8) format, played across two 20-minute halves.
Nearly 1,000 matches will be staged throughout the competition window. The newly built Hovsan Competition Complex will serve as the tournament's primary hub, featuring infrastructure capable of hosting 20 simultaneous matches, with each pitch accommodating up to 10 fixtures per day.The prestigious Baku Crystal Hall will then take centre stage to host the tier finals on the final day.
Teams will progress through a two-tiered competitive model to ensure competitive balance and maximize playing time:
Qualification Stage: Nations will be placed into groups emphasizing diverse regional and sporting representation, competing in a round-robin schedule of four to five matches.
Tournament Stage: Based on group stage results, teams will be placed into tiered knockout and placement brackets, guaranteeing each squad an additional four to five fixtures against closely matched opposition.
By guaranteeing eight to ten international matches per nation, FIFA aims to close the competitive development gap and offer a global launchpad for the next generation of footballing talent.
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