Twenty African countries will take part in a FIFA World Cup for the first time when the inaugural U-15 tournament is held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 24 to 29 October 2026.

The Comoros, Gabon, Madagascar, Mauritania, Chad and Central African Republic are among the 20 CAF national teams preparing to make their first appearance at a FIFA World Cup, across all age groups and both sexes.

Botswana, Djibouti, Eswatini, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Sao Tome-et-Principe and Zimbabwe complete the list.

The figures represent 20 of the 54 associations that belong to the Confederation of African Football. Across the 189 countries involved in the tournament, 78 will be appearing at a FIFA World Cup for the first time.

Libya and Eritrea are the only CAF members not taking part in the competition.

Several of Africa’s established football nations will also be represented. Algeria, led by Karim Ziani, Morocco under Karim Meftal, Cameroon with Franck Cedric Onana, Cote d’Ivoire with Gnamin Souh Kouame Matiriel, Senegal under Ousmane Diop and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, represented by Zico Tumba, are all due to compete.

New format for the U-15 World Cup

The tournament will feature 32 groups, labelled A to AF, and is expected to involve more than 1,000 matches. It is open to players born in 2011 and 2012.

Unlike the traditional FIFA World Cup format, teams will begin with a three-day qualification phase before moving into a final stage divided into six divisions. This structure is designed to give every participant several international fixtures rather than allowing teams to be eliminated at an early stage.

The winner of Division A will be crowned champion of the first edition.

Matches will be played eight-a-side on pitches adapted for the age group. Games will consist of two 20-minute halves, with unlimited substitutions permitted.

The format is intended to place the emphasis on player development and enjoyment of the game rather than results alone. Alongside the matches, the programme will include educational activities, meetings with football legends and awareness campaigns.

FIFA has described the event as a festival open to all invited member associations.

The FIFA Council announced the creation of U-15 events for boys and girls in December 2025. Following the first men’s tournament in 2026, a separate competition for girls will be staged in 2027, with annual editions for both categories planned from 2028.