MUSCAT: Oman’s under-15 national football team arrived in Azerbaijan on Wednesday ahead of its historic participation in the inaugural Fifa U15 World Cup and Festival 2026, marking an important milestone in the Sultanate of Oman’s youth football development programme.
The delegation travelled to Baku following an intensive domestic camp in Muscat, during which the technical staff focused on raising the players’ physical readiness, sharpening tactical discipline and helping the youngsters adapt to the demands of international competition.
Led by national head coach Nasser al Mayahi, Oman have been drawn in Group B alongside Argentina, Algeria, Malawi, Chinese Taipei and Suriname. The Young Reds will begin their campaign against Suriname on October 24 before facing Malawi and Argentina on October 25. They will conclude the qualification stage with matches against Chinese Taipei and Algeria on October 26.
The tournament brings together teams from almost every corner of the footballing world and will be played under a development-focused format. Matches will be contested eight-a-side over two 20-minute halves on reduced-size pitches, with every participating side guaranteed a substantial number of fixtures.
The group-stage results will determine each team’s placement in one of six competitive tiers during the tournament phase. The competition will run until October 30, with most matches staged at the Hovsan Competition Complex, while the tier finals will be held at Baku Crystal Hall.
Oman’s preparations began with a wider group of 22 players selected following an extensive talent-identification process. Team manager Khalid al Wahaibi said the technical staff monitored players in the Youth League before organising additional trials for youngsters representing clubs that did not participate in the competition. The group was subsequently reduced to the final 14-player squad.
BUILDING IDENTITY
Al Mayahi said the tournament represents more than an opportunity to pursue results, stressing that the coaching staff’s principal objective is to establish a clear footballing identity and develop a generation capable of progressing through Oman’s national-team pathway.
“Our main objective is to build an identity for the team and establish the foundations for continuous work,” he said during the Muscat camp. “Achieving positive results is important, but our wider aim is to develop talent and build a generation that can become the nucleus of the national under-17 team.”
The final squad comprises Sulaiman bin Khalifa al Mufarji, Mohammed bin Ahmed al Araimi, Muadh bin Moosa al Muharrami, Firas bin Yousef al Farsi, Moayad bin Younis al Ghassani, Yaqoob bin Yousef al Harrasi, Osama bin Nabil Bait Faraj Allah, Osama bin Salim al Dhamri, Ahmed bin Juma al Sarhi, Al Yazan bin Talal al Rashdi, Ayman bin Ali al Afari, Al Ayham bin Ibrahim al Raqadi, Rashid bin Khalid al Buraidi and Ali bin Qasim al Habsi.
Oman’s participation provides the young players with valuable exposure to contrasting footballing styles and a demanding international environment. It will also allow the technical staff to assess their development under competitive pressure as the Oman Football Association continues its efforts to build a stronger foundation for the Sultanate’s age-group national teams.
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