FIFA has approved participation rules for its newly created U-15 Youth World Cup, effectively opening the door for all member associations to compete, a move that includes Russia for the first time in an international FIFA-sanctioned tournament since its suspension.
The tournament, scheduled to take place from 22 to 31 October in Azerbaijan, will feature national teams from across FIFA’s membership. Organizers say the competition is part of a broader youth development initiative, with separate editions planned for boys and girls in the coming years.
According to the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA), FIFA has confirmed that all member associations are eligible to take part. FIFA’s Council Bureau approved the structure of the new tournament last December, appointing Azerbaijan as the host country for the inaugural edition.
A FIFA statement outlined the long-term format of the competition, noting that “following the approval by the FIFA Council last December of a U-15 tournament for boys and girls…, the Bureau of the Council has appointed Azerbaijan as the host of the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026.” It further explained that while the first edition will feature boys’ teams, girls’ teams will compete in a separate edition in 2027, with full dual-gender participation expected from 2028 onward.
