Under the floodlights of an Azerbaijani October, Kays El Mouttaqui will carry an Olympique de Marseille connection into a new youth international event. The 2012-born OM academy player, son of former Marseille executive Medhi Benatia, has been included in France’s initial 18-player selection for the inaugural U15 World Cup and Festival.
The move
France have named 18 players for the tournament, which will be held in Baku from 22 to 30 October. El Mouttaqui is among the group selected by Pierre-Emmanuel Bourdeau for the first edition of the competition.
The squad will gather at Clairefontaine between 18 and 22 October, after which the travelling group will be reduced from 18 players to 14.
A total of 191 national teams, from 211 affiliated federations, are expected in Azerbaijan. The opening stage contains 31 groups of six sides and one group of five.
- Kays El Mouttaqui — Olympique de Marseille
- Eliott Martinez — Racing Club de France
- Ilyès Ben Mechichi — Racing Club de France
- Alexandru Ciobanu — Paris Saint-Germain
- Messie Bolou — Paris Saint-Germain
- Moudy Keyta — Le Havre
- Izael Lema — Le Havre
Racing Club de France, PSG and Le Havre are the only clubs with two players represented in the initial French group.
The French season around it
France have been placed in Group A and will play five compact group fixtures at the Hövsan Olympic Sports Complex, on the outskirts of Baku. Matches will be played with eight-a-side teams over two 20-minute halves, allowing the young players to complete a demanding three-day schedule.
| Date | Opponent | Kick-off time in France |
|---|---|---|
| 24 October | Anguilla | 07:00 |
| 25 October | Maldives | 10:45 |
| 25 October | Estonia | 17:30 |
| 26 October | Kosovo | 09:30 |
| 26 October | South Africa | 16:15 |
The second phase starts on 28 October, when teams will be divided into six level-based groups. Each group winner will receive a title, while the winner of Level A will be crowned U15 World Cup and Festival 2026 champion.
