On October 24, the opening ceremony of the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup for players under the age of 15 and a football festival was held at the Baku Crystal Hall complex in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku. The international sporting event was attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, members of their family, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Before the ceremony began, the Azerbaijani head of state and his family met with the FIFA president and other distinguished guests. During the meeting, Gianni Infantino presented Ilham Aliyev with commemorative gifts. The opening ceremony began with the performance of Azerbaijan’s national anthem, followed by a video dedicated to the World Cup and football festival.

Samir Sharifov, Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan and chairman of the organizing committee, addressed the gathering at the opening ceremony and congratulated those present on the start of the international competition. He emphasized that hosting this sporting event, which brings together representatives from 189 countries, was of great importance to Azerbaijan. He also expressed gratitude to FIFA for its cooperation in organizing the tournament.

Samir Sharifov further highlighted the importance of support from the President of Azerbaijan in ensuring that the World Cup was organized to a high standard.

In his speech, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that the tournament brings together young footballers from different parts of the world. According to him, more than 3,000 footballers and official representatives are participating in the event in Baku. He also emphasized the important role played by volunteers and organizing staff in ensuring the successful delivery of the competition.

The FIFA president encouraged the young athletes to enjoy the tournament, compete fairly, respect their opponents and abide by the rules of football. He expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijan’s leadership and the organizing team for creating the opportunity to bring the international football community together.

During the opening ceremony, videos featuring representatives from various countries were shown, and artistic performances were staged. The FIFA U-15 World Cup and football festival were then officially declared open.

Following the ceremony, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, members of their family and FIFA President Gianni Infantino watched a match between the national teams of Azerbaijan and Timor-Leste. The match ended with a 6–0 victory for Azerbaijan.

The FIFA U-15 World Cup and football festival provide young footballers with an important opportunity to showcase their abilities, gain international experience and strengthen sporting ties among participants from different countries.