Rabat – Morocco’s U-15 national football team secured a place in the round of 16 of the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival on Wednesday after defeating Cameroon 4-1 at the Hovsan Competition Complex in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The young Atlas Lions dominated the encounter, with Saïd Noufii scoring twice to help Morocco advance to the next stage of the competition.
Noufii opened the scoring in the third minute before Yassine Ajana doubled Morocco’s lead in the 27th minute. Adam Mimouni added a third goal one minute later, putting the Moroccan side in a commanding position.
Noufii then completed his brace in the 39th minute to seal the 4-1 victory.
The result extends Morocco’s impressive run in the competition after the team won all five of its opening matches.
Morocco U15 Maintain Perfect Record in Azerbaijan
Morocco entered Wednesday’s match after completing an unbeaten opening stage in Group F, where the team recorded five victories against the Philippines, Costa Rica, Belize, Curaçao, and Liberia.
The young Atlas Lions began their campaign on October 24 with a 2-0 victory over the Philippines. They followed that result with a 4-2 win against Costa Rica and a convincing 6-0 victory over Belize on October 25.
Morocco continued its strong performances the following day, defeating Curaçao 7-0 before closing the opening stage with a 5-1 victory over Liberia.
Against Liberia, Saïd Noufii scored a hat-trick in the fourth, sixth, and 10th minutes. Mohamed Amine El Abbassi added another goal in the 16th minute, while Ajana completed the scoring in the 39th minute.
The five consecutive victories secured Morocco’s place in the tournament’s second stage and established the team as one of the sides to watch in Azerbaijan.
Morocco Face Paraguay in the Next Round
Following their victory over Cameroon, the Moroccan youngsters will face Paraguay in the round of 16.
Paraguay secured its place in the next round after defeating Cyprus 4-0, setting up a meeting with the Atlas Lions later on Wednesday.
The encounter presents another opportunity for Morocco to build on its attacking performances and continue its progress in the competition.
Head coach Karim Meftal has overseen the team’s campaign, which has featured contributions from several young players, including Noufii, Ajana, and Mimouni.
The squad also includes six players from the Mohammed VI Football Academy, according to SNRT News, highlighting the academy’s role in developing young Moroccan talent.
Morocco makes their mark in the inaugural U-15 World Cup
Morocco’s campaign comes during the inaugural edition of the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival, a new international competition introduced to provide young players with greater opportunities to compete and develop.
FIFA confirmed the creation of the tournament in December 2025. The first edition brings together national associations from across the world, with the event taking place in Baku from October 24 to 30, 2026.
Unlike conventional international youth tournaments, the competition uses an eight-a-side format, with matches consisting of two 20-minute halves. The format is designed to give young players more opportunities to develop their technical abilities and gain international experience.
The tournament also features a different structure from traditional World Cups. Teams first compete in a qualification stage before progressing to a second phase based on their results and rankings.
The competition includes six performance tiers, with a winner crowned in each tier. The winner of Tier A will be recognized as the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival champion.
The tournament provides an important platform for a new generation of players to test themselves against international opposition and take another step in their football development.
The young Atlas Lions will now seek to maintain their momentum against Paraguay as they continue their campaign in Azerbaijan.
