Rabat – Morocco’s U-15 national team has been eliminated from the U-15 World Cup after losing 1-0 to Paraguay in the round of 16 on Wednesday.
The match took place at the Hovsan Complex in Baku, Azerbaijan, where Paraguay secured a narrow victory to advance to the next round, ending Morocco’s campaign in the competition.
The young Atlas Cubs were unable to overcome their South American opponents, who secured qualification with a single goal.
Morocco had hoped to continue their run in the tournament but fell short in the knockout stage.
The competition is part of the U-15 World Cup and its accompanying festival, both held in the Azerbaijani capital.
Morocco’s elimination comes after the team had shown promise in the tournament. The young players had been aiming to progress further and gain valuable international experience against teams from other countries.
Despite the defeat, the competition offered Morocco’s young players an opportunity to test themselves at the international level as they continue their development.
Morocco U-15’s impressive journey in Azerbaijan
Morocco entered the competition under head coach Karim Meftal, beginning its campaign with five consecutive victories in Group F.
The Atlas Cubs opened their journey on October 24 with a 2-0 victory over the Philippines before defeating Costa Rica 4-2 in their second match.
The Moroccan youngsters continued their strong performances with a convincing 6-0 win against Belize on October 25.
A day later, Morocco recorded its biggest victory of the group stage, defeating Curaçao 7-0 before closing the opening round with a 5-1 win over Liberia.
These results allowed Morocco to finish at the top of Group F with 15 points from five matches, scoring 24 goals and conceding only three.
The perfect group-stage record secured Morocco a place in Tier A, where the tournament’s strongest teams compete for the main title.
Morocco continued its winning run against Cameroon on Wednesday, securing a 4-1 victory to reach the round of 16.
Saïd Noufii played a key role in that victory, scoring twice in the third and 39th minutes. Yassine Ajana and Adam Mimouni also contributed to the result with goals in the 27th and 28th minutes, respectively.
However, the team’s six-match winning streak came to an end against Paraguay later that day.
An overview of the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival
The 2026 FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival marks the inaugural edition of a new international youth football competition organized by FIFA.
The tournament takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from October 24 to 30, bringing together young players from national teams across the world.
Unlike traditional international football competitions, the U-15 World Cup uses an eight-a-side format, with matches consisting of two 20-minute halves.
The format aims to provide young footballers with more opportunities to develop their technical skills, improve their decision-making, and gain international experience.
The competition also follows a different structure from traditional World Cups. Teams begin with a qualification stage before moving into different performance tiers based on their results.
The tournament features six tiers, each with its own winner, while the champion of Tier A will claim the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival title.
This competition provided an opportunity for a new generation of players to face opponents from different continents and experience international football at an early stage of their development.
A valuable experience for Morocco’s young talents
Despite the elimination, Morocco’s performances throughout the tournament highlighted the potential of its emerging football talents.
The squad featured 14 players from several Moroccan football academies and clubs, including six from the Mohammed VI Football Academy.
The participation of these young players reflects Morocco’s continued investment in youth football development and its efforts to prepare future generations for international competitions.
Head coach Karim Meftal had previously highlighted the importance of the tournament in helping young players adapt to different styles of football.
In an interview with FIFA, Meftal explained that facing opponents from different countries offered his players new challenges and opportunities to improve their abilities.
Morocco’s participation also comes amid the country’s growing presence in international football, following the senior national team’s historic run to the semifinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the U-20 national team’s triumph at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Although the Atlas Cubs could not advance beyond the round of 16, their six consecutive victories demonstrated their attacking abilities and potential for future development.
The experience gained in Azerbaijan could prove valuable for the young players as they continue their progress and aim to represent Morocco at higher levels in the coming years.
