FIFA has allowed Russia to participate in the U-15 FIFA World Cup
Kyiv • UNN
FIFA approved the holding of the U-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan in 2026. Russia and Belarus will be invited as FIFA members, which will be the first tournament after the suspension.
FIFA officially allowed the Russian national team to participate in the new U-15 Youth World Cup, which will take place in Azerbaijan from October 22 to 31, 2026. This is the first international tournament under the auspices of FIFA involving a Russian team since its suspension in 2022. This was reported by the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan, writes UNN.
Details
It is noted that the FIFA Council approved the holding of the World Cup and festival among players under 15 years old, and teams from all FIFA member associations will be invited to the first boys' tournament.
Russia is not mentioned separately, but the DPA agency reported that the wording about the participation of "all FIFA members" also applies to Russia and Belarus.
The second edition of the tournament in 2027 will be held only for girls' teams. Starting from 2028, FIFA plans to hold separate competitions for boys' and girls' under-15 national teams.