Azerbaijan has been appointed as the host of the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026, following a decision by the Bureau of the FIFA Council, İdman.Biz reports.
The newly created youth competition will take place from October 22 to 31, 2026, and will feature boys' under-15 national teams from all FIFA member associations.
The tournament is part of FIFA's long-term strategy to strengthen youth football worldwide. The 2027 edition will be dedicated exclusively to girls' national teams, while from 2028 onwards separate U-15 competitions for both boys and girls will be held annually.
The decision was made following an assessment conducted by the FIFA administration, which highlighted Azerbaijan's world-class sporting infrastructure and its proven ability to host major international events with large numbers of participants.
FIFA also noted that Azerbaijan is scheduled to host the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2027, underlining that staging the inaugural U-15 World Cup & Festival further reinforces the country's growing reputation as a venue for elite international football competitions.
In addition, the Bureau of the FIFA Council approved the regulations for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 and suspended the All Nepal Football Association due to violations of FIFA Statutes related to third-party interference.
