Rwanda’s Under-15 national team has been drawn into Group Y of the inaugural FIFA World Cup & Festival 2026, where they will face Côte d’Ivoire, Vanuatu, Albania, Turks & Caicos Islands, and Mauritania. The tournament is scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from October 22 to 31, and will bring together 191 nations from across the globe. FIFA World Cup & Festival was launched by world football governing body, FIFA, as part of its commitment to developing youth football. The competition aims to provide a platform where young players from every member association can compete on the international stage, regardless of their country’s current football ranking or status. On September 18, Rwanda learned its opponents after the official draw for the tournament’s preliminary stage, which features 32 groups. Each participating nation will travel with a delegation consisting of 14 players, all born in 2011 or 2012, as well as a maximum of six officials. Matches will be played in an eight-a-side format, with eight players on the field for each team at any given time. Games will consist of two 20-minute halves, while tournament organizers have scheduled 10 matches per day during the 10-day event. In total, approximately 1,000 matches are expected to be played throughout the festival. The tournament is expected to offer Rwanda’s young talents a valuable opportunity to gain international experience and showcase their abilities against opponents from different football cultures around the world.
