The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has announced that the national U-15 team will participate in the FIFA U-15 World Cup Festival scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from October 22 to 31, 2026.
The team will be under the technical guidance of José Miguel Salomon and Sarah Bangura, with a 20-member delegation comprising 14 players and six officials representing Sierra Leone at the international youth football festival.
The tournament is expected to bring together young footballers from more than 191 participating countries. The competition will be played in an eight-a-side format, designed to promote youth development and provide players with opportunities to improve their technical skills and gain international experience.
As part of the team’s preparations, SLFA Safeguarding Officer Makallay Kamara engaged the players on safeguarding principles, emphasising the importance of ensuring that every player remains safe, respected and protected throughout the tournament and beyond.
The team concluded its preparations on Friday, October 16, 2026, following an intensive training programme ahead of the competition. The young Leone Stars are scheduled to depart Sierra Leone on Monday, October 19, for Baku, Azerbaijan.
Sierra Leone will play five group-stage matches, beginning against Afghanistan on October 24. The team will then face Russia and Sudan on October 25 before taking on Türkiye and Djibouti on October 26.
The team’s participation marks another step in Sierra Leone’s efforts to promote youth football development by providing young players with international exposure and opportunities to compete against teams from different footballing backgrounds.
The SLFA has reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing young talent and strengthening the country’s football development structures, expressing hope that the young Leone Stars will proudly represent Sierra Leone’s green, white and blue colours in Baku, Azerbaijan.