Kenya U15 boys team learn opponents for inaugural FIFA U15 WC

Kenya’s Under-15 boys team have been drawn in Group Z for the inaugural FIFA U-15 Boys World Cup and Festival which will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from October 22 to 31, 2026.

The Patrick Nyale-coached side will face Malta, Niger, North Macedonia and Panama in the group.

Kenya received invitation to compete on the global stage in the maiden edition of the new FIFA youth tournament, which brings together U15 boys’ teams from FIFA Member Associations.

More than 1,000 players have gone through the identification process as FKF builds a pool from which the final squad for the Azerbaijan assignment will be selected.

The tournament will be staged in Baku from October, with the Hovsan Competition Complex hosting the bulk of the action before the tier finals are played at the Crystal Hall on October 30.

It will look different from the FIFA competitions fans are used to.

Matches will be played in an eight-a-side format, with each half lasting 20 minutes. Players born in 2011 and 2012 are eligible, while each team can travel with 14 players and up to six officials.

The competition has also been structured to keep every team playing throughout the tournament.

After an initial round-robin phase of four or five matches, teams will be placed into six performance tiers according to their results.

Each side will then play another four or five matches, with the winners of the top tier crowned the overall FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival champions.

For Kenya, the tournament provides another important test for a crop of players at the start of their international journey.

Nyale is in charge of the Kenya U-15 boys’ team, which has already gained international exposure this month through the CAF African Schools Football Championship CECAFA qualifiers in Rwanda.

The Azerbaijan trip will therefore provide FKF with an opportunity to assess the country’s emerging talent against opposition from different football cultures and development systems.

FIFA says the boys’ tournament is the first step towards establishing an annual U-15 competition, with the girls’ edition planned for 2027 before both tournaments become annual events from 2028.