India U15 will face five different opponents in three days as Bibiano Fernandes’ young side prepares for the inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival in Baku.

Kolkata, September 22: It is not every day that a new FIFA youth competition brings together teams from across the world, and India’s U15 men’s team will be part of that first chapter. While the draw and fixtures for the inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival Azerbaijan 2026 were announced a few days ago, India’s schedule now gives us a closer look at what awaits the young Blue Colts in Baku.

India have been placed in Group K alongside Bahrain, Cameroon, Grenada, Laos and Senegal. Coached by Bibiano Fernandes, the India U15 side will play five matches across three days at the Hovsan Competition Complex in Baku.

The campaign begins on October 24, when India face Laos at 11:45 AM IST. The following day will be a busy one, with India taking on Cameroon at 10:30 AM, before facing Grenada at 5:15 PM.

India will then play their final two group matches on October 26. First comes Bahrain at 2:15 PM, followed by Senegal at 9:00 PM IST.

India U15’s fixtures:

October 24: Laos vs India, 11:45 AM IST
October 25: India vs Cameroon, 10:30 AM IST
October 25: Grenada vs India, 5:15 PM IST
October 26: Bahrain vs India, 2:15 PM IST
October 26: India vs Senegal, 9:00 PM IST

But this tournament is not simply another youth competition. The inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival will have a different format, with 191 national teams divided into 32 groups and 943 matches scheduled across six competition days.

The matches will be played in an 8v8 format, with two 20-minute halves, a five-minute half-time break and rolling substitutions. The playing area will measure 68 metres by 50 metres.

The Blue Colts will have to adapt quickly. With five matches packed into just three days, there will be little time between games, making squad rotation and the ability to recover quickly an important part of the tournament.

And then comes the variety in opposition. India will face teams from Asia, Africa, Europe-linked competition regions and CONCACAF, with Bahrain, Laos, Cameroon, Senegal and Grenada offering completely different footballing backgrounds.

For India U15, it will be a chance to be part of the very first edition of a FIFA competition that brings a large number of young teams together in a completely different format. And for Bibiano Fernandes’ young side, the first challenge awaits in Baku this October.

And more interestingly, the tournament will continue in the coming years, with the 2027 edition set to feature the girls’ U15 teams. From 2028 onwards, FIFA plans to bring both boys’ and girls’ U15 teams into the festival, making it a regular global platform for young players.