Azerbaijan to host FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in 2026

The Bureau of the FIFA Council has selected Azerbaijan as the host of the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026.

The new youth football tournament will take place from October 22 to 31, 2026, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The competition will feature boys' under-15 national teams from all FIFA member associations. The 2027 edition will be reserved exclusively for women's national teams, while from 2028 onward, FIFA plans to organise separate tournaments for boys and girls.

The decision was made following an evaluation conducted by the FIFA administration. The organisation took into account Azerbaijan’s modern sports and general infrastructure, as well as its capacity to host thousands of young players and team representatives in a centralised format.

FIFA also noted that Azerbaijan had previously been selected as one of the hosts of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2027. According to the organisation, staging the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in the country will ensure strategic continuity in the organisation of international football competitions.

In addition, the Bureau of the FIFA Council approved the regulations for the FIFA ASEAN Cup. The inaugural edition of the tournament will be held during the September–October international window in 2026, with participation guaranteed for all football associations belonging to ASEAN.

The Bureau of the FIFA Council also decided to immediately suspend the activities of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) over serious violations of its statutes related to third-party interference.

By Jeyhun Aghazada