• FOOTBALL

• Frank Rotich 3 days ago

Kenya’s youngsters set for historic FIFA U15 World Cup in Azerbaijan

Kenya’s next generation of footballers will have an opportunity to showcase their talent on the global stage when the inaugural FIFA U15 Boys World Cup and Festival kicks off in Baku, Azerbaijan, on October 22.

Head coach Patrick Nyale has named a 14-man squad for the competition, where the young Kenyans will face teams from Malta, Niger, North Macedonia, Panama and Chad in the opening phase.

The tournament introduces a new approach to international youth football, bringing together 191 national teams in 32 groups while giving players more opportunities to compete through a format designed to keep every team involved beyond the opening stage.

Unlike conventional football tournaments, the competition will be played in an eight-a-side format on smaller pitches measuring 68x50m. Matches will consist of two 20-minute halves, with rolling substitutions allowed.

Players born in 2011 and 2012 are eligible for the tournament, which provides a platform for young footballers to gain international experience and test themselves against opponents from different footballing backgrounds.

Kenya will begin with a round-robin phase, playing four or five matches before teams are placed into six performance tiers, from Tier A to Tier F, according to their results.

Instead of sending teams home after the initial round, the format guarantees further matches against sides placed in the same tier. The winners of Tier A will be crowned the first-ever FIFA U15 Boys World Cup and Festival champions.

Nyale has assembled a squad featuring players drawn largely from schools and junior football institutions across the country, highlighting the role of grassroots and school football in developing Kenya’s future stars.

For the young players, the tournament presents an opportunity to gain valuable international exposure while representing the country at a historic competition.

Kenya will be hoping to make a strong impression in Baku, with the new format offering the youngsters several opportunities to learn, compete and measure their progress against their international counterparts.

Beyond the results, the experience could prove important in building a foundation for the players as they continue their development towards higher levels of the game.

 

U-15 Kenya squad

Goalkeepers department: Elvis Odhiambo, Raudge Johnstone

Defenders: Alpha Amieno Omeg, Griffins Ndavi, Junior Otieno and Bleza Barack

Midfielders: Silas Juma, Innocent Media, Javan Ochieng and Abdirahim Mohammed

Forwards: Dancan Muya, Lewis Wafula, Roy Clinton and Erick Masika Mamati