India Drawn in Group K for FIFA U15 World Cup 2026

India have been drawn with Bahrain, Cameroon, Grenada, Laos and Senegal in Group K of the inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival Azerbaijan 2026. The India U15 men’s team will play its five qualification-stage matches in Baku in October, beginning against Laos on October 24.

The tournament gives India’s young side a five-match schedule across three days at the Hovsan Competition Complex. India are currently in camp at the Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, with coach Bibiano Fernandes preparing the team ahead of its trip to Azerbaijan.

India’s Group K schedule in Baku

India will open its campaign against Laos on October 24. The following day brings a double-header, with Cameroon first on the schedule before India face Grenada.

The qualification stage concludes for India with another two matches on October 26. The team will take on Bahrain before meeting Senegal in its final Group K fixture.

The five opponents place India in a group featuring teams from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. Bahrain and Laos join India as Asian representatives in Group K, while Cameroon, Grenada and Senegal complete the section.

Participating teams are due to arrive in Baku on October 22, followed by an official training day on October 23. The qualification stage is scheduled from October 24 to 26, before a rest day on October 27. The tournament stage will then be held on October 28 and 29, with the tier finals set for October 30.

Format and scale of the inaugural event

The FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival Azerbaijan 2026 is open to all FIFA Member Associations. A total of 191 national teams have been divided into 32 groups for the inaugural competition.

There will be 943 matches played across 20 match pitches over six competition days. The competition will use an 8v8 format rather than the standard 11-a-side format, with each match consisting of two 20-minute halves and a five-minute half-time break.

The match pitch is set to measure 68 metres by 50 metres, and rolling substitutions will be permitted throughout games. Those regulations will apply to India’s five qualification-stage matches in Group K at the Hovsan Competition Complex.

India’s preparation in Bengaluru will continue before the squad travels to Azerbaijan. The Blue Colts are also set to play international friendly matches at home before departure, and a final squad of 14 players will travel for the event.

For Fernandes and the India U15 men, the draw establishes a clear sequence of fixtures and a compact opening phase in Baku. The campaign starts with Laos on October 24, continues with Cameroon and Grenada on October 25, and ends with Bahrain and Senegal on October 26.

What the draw means for India

India’s immediate focus is the qualification stage, where the side will play five times in three days under the tournament’s 8v8 structure. The schedule leaves little gap between fixtures, with two-match days on both October 25 and October 26.

The inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival provides India’s U15 men with a place in a large international field in Baku. Group K will determine the team’s opening tournament path, while the wider event moves into its tournament stage after the qualification matches have been completed.