The FIFA U-20 World Cup 2027 will take place from 17 September to 9 October next year in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced on Friday.
‘Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are set to welcome and unite the best young footballers in the world,’ Infantino said in a post on Instagram.
The two countries were named co-hosts at a FIFA Council meeting on 2 October 2025. It will be the first time Azerbaijan has hosted a men’s FIFA World Cup at any level, and its U-20 team will make its debut at a World Cup final.
The 2027 tournament will be the 25th edition of the competition, which has been held every two years since 1977.
Both countries have made the tournament a national priority. In December 2025, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree setting up a national organising committee to oversee infrastructure, logistics, security and event management.
In Uzbekistan, a presidential resolution set out measures to bring stadiums, transport and accommodation up to FIFA standards across its host cities.
The host cities and stadiums have not yet been announced. Baku is widely expected to stage matches, given its experience hosting major football events.
Azerbaijan also plans to use the tournament to promote tourism, with visitors expected to combine matches in Baku with trips to historic towns such as Sheki and Shamakhi.
Twenty-four teams will take part, with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan qualifying automatically as hosts. The remaining sides will qualify through their confederations’ youth championships.
Morocco are the defending champions. They beat Argentina 2-0 in the 2025 final at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile, to win their first FIFA title. Morocco became the first African team to reach the final since Ghana in 2009 and the first Arab nation ever to do so.
Argentina hold the record for the most titles, with six, followed by Brazil with five. Portugal and Serbia have won it twice each.
The tournament adds to a series of major sporting events in the region. Baku hosted matches at Euro 2020 and the 2019 Europa League final, and has staged Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix since 2016. Uzbekistan hosted the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2024.
Uzbekistan’s senior team made its World Cup debut at this year’s tournament in North America.
The U-20 World Cup has long been a showcase for future stars, including Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba and Erling Haaland.
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