Anguilla’s under-15 boys national football team have jetted off to Baku in Azerbaijan for the first FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026.
Over seven days, the young players will compete in Group A against five other teams – Estonia, France, Kosovo, the Maldives and South Africa.
The tournament runs from 24 to 30 October, with nearly 1,000 matches scheduled at the Hövsan Competition Complex, while the tier finals will be held at Crystal Hall.
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A Facebook post from the Anguilla Football Association (AFA) said the squad’s participation follows months of preparation for “a journey that is bigger than football”.
“These young players have trained week after week, showing discipline, commitment and belief as they prepared for an opportunity that many only dream of,” the AFA wrote.
It went on to say that for a nation as small as Anguilla, the opportunity to compete alongside large countries is “an experience of a lifetime and an honour we do not take lightly”.
“This is about more than results. It is about exposure, growth, courage, representing your country with pride, and showing every young footballer back home that the world is within reach.”
In a message to the players, the AFA said: “Trust the work you have put in. Play with confidence. Play for each other. Take in every moment, learn from every challenge and wear Anguilla on your chest with pride.
“You carry the hopes of a nation with you, but most importantly, you carry proof that no dream is too big for a small island.”
Anguilla will play their first match against France at 9am local time on 24 October. Their next matches take place on 25 October against Estonia at 12.45pm and South Africa at 7.30pm.
On 26 October they will take on the Maldives at 11.30am and Kosovo at 6.15pm. Matches on the 28, 29 and 30 are to be determined depending on the results.
Check out the full match schedule here.
