Spain Crowned Champions of Inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival as Six Nations Celebrate Titles
Spain secured the tournament's biggest prize in Azerbaijan, while Zambia, Belarus, Tajikistan, the Central African Republic and New Zealand emerged victorious across the remaining five tiers.
The inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival concluded on October 30, 2026, in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing an extraordinary week of international youth football to a close. With 189 national teams competing across six tiers, the competition provided a global stage for some of football's most promising young players.
At the centre of the celebrations was Spain, who defeated Czechia 3–0 in the Tier A final to become the tournament's first overall champions. However, Spain was not the only nation celebrating, as five other countries secured titles in their respective tiers, showcasing the growing depth of youth football around the world.
Spain Makes History With Tier A Triumph
Spain entered the tournament among the nations looking to make an impression on the international stage and ultimately finished with the competition's most prestigious title.
Facing Czechia in the Tier A final at Baku's Crystal Hall, Spain delivered a convincing 3–0 victory to complete an impressive campaign. Tiago Polo opened the scoring with a long-range strike before Bruno Fernandez and Adrian Bielsa added further goals to secure the championship.
Spain's journey began with a 4–2 victory over Chile and continued with an outstanding run throughout the tournament. La Roja finished their campaign with ten victories from ten matches, demonstrating their consistency against international opposition.
The knockout stages also saw Spain overcome Venezuela and Colombia before facing Czechia in the final. Czechia had enjoyed an impressive campaign of its own, advancing past Italy and Paraguay to reach the championship match.
For Spain, the victory represents another major achievement in international football and highlights the continued strength of the country's youth development system. The tournament also offered an early glimpse of players who could become important figures for their national teams in the years ahead.
Five More Champions Crowned Across the Tournament
While Spain claimed the overall title, the tournament's six-tier structure ensured that teams throughout the competition had opportunities to compete for silverware.
Tier B — Zambia
Zambia 5–2 Portugal
Zambia delivered one of the standout achievements of the tournament by defeating Portugal 5–2 in the Tier B final. After progressing through the knockout rounds against India, Slovakia and Senegal, the African nation finished its campaign with a convincing championship victory. The result was a significant moment for Zambia's young players and another encouraging achievement for African youth football.
Tier C — Belarus
Belarus 3–0 Tunisia
Belarus secured the Tier C title with a commanding 3–0 victory over Tunisia. Belarus's route to the final included knockout victories over Chile, Scotland and Uganda, while Tunisia reached the championship match after defeating Thailand, Panama and Luxembourg. Belarus ultimately finished on top, adding another European nation to the tournament's list of champions.
Tier D — Tajikistan
Tajikistan 4–2 Canada
Tajikistan emerged victorious in Tier D after defeating Canada 4–2 in the final. The Asian nation advanced through a competitive knockout bracket that included victories over Egypt, Lithuania and the Dominican Republic. Canada also enjoyed a strong tournament, overcoming Andorra, Burundi and Somalia on its way to the final. Tajikistan's success was an important achievement for a nation continuing to develop its presence in international youth football.
Tier E — Central African Republic
Central African Republic 4–1 Bangladesh
The Central African Republic celebrated the Tier E championship following a 4–1 victory over Bangladesh. Its journey included knockout victories against Equatorial Guinea, Palestine and Puerto Rico before the final. Bangladesh also produced an impressive run, defeating Singapore, Kuwait and Montenegro to reach the title match. The result gave the Central African Republic a memorable achievement on the global youth stage.
Tier F — New Zealand
New Zealand 2–1 Ethiopia
New Zealand completed the list of champions by edging Ethiopia 2–1 in the Tier F final. The Oceania representatives progressed past Cook Islands, Malta and Nepal before securing the title. Ethiopia also showed its quality throughout the knockout stages, defeating Djibouti, Samoa and Vanuatu to reach the final. New Zealand's victory ensured that Oceania was represented among the six tournament winners.
Final results confirmed by FIFA's tournament report and published match records.
A Historic Tournament for Youth Football
Beyond the championship results, the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival marked an important step in expanding opportunities for young players around the world.
Unlike traditional international tournaments, the competition used an innovative format featuring eight-a-side matches played over two 20-minute halves. Teams initially competed in a group stage before being placed into one of six competitive tiers based on their results.
The structure allowed nations at different stages of football development to continue competing against comparable opposition rather than being eliminated early.
189 national teams · 932 matches played · 4,505 goals scored
Official tournament figures published by FIFA.
Nearly 3,000 young footballers participated, representing all six continental confederations. Remarkably, 187 of the 189 competing nations recorded at least one victory, underlining the opportunities created by the tournament's inclusive structure.
The event also extended beyond football. Players from different countries had the opportunity to interact with one another, experience new cultures and participate in educational activities designed to support their personal development.
A New Chapter for the Next Generation
The inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival will be remembered not only for Spain's historic championship but also for the achievements of nations across every tier.
From Zambia's impressive victory over Portugal to Tajikistan's success against Canada and New Zealand's narrow triumph over Ethiopia, the tournament demonstrated how international youth competitions can provide meaningful opportunities for emerging football nations.
For the players involved, the experience of representing their countries against international opposition could prove invaluable as they progress through their football careers.
Spain leaves Azerbaijan as the first overall U-15 world champion, but the success of all six tier winners reflects the wider purpose of the competition: giving young footballers from across the globe an opportunity to compete, develop and represent their nations on an international stage.
With the first edition now complete, the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival has established an exciting new platform for the next generation of football talent.
