SAEDNEWS: Gianni Infantino is examining plans for a new Under-15 World Cup involving all 211 FIFA member associations. The proposed tournament would initially be for boys, with a girls’ competition planned for 2027.
According to SaedNews: Gianni Infantino is considering a new FIFA project after failing to advance his controversial “FIFA Forward Enterprise” proposal, which he had claimed could raise $4.2 billion for FIFA and its stakeholders by selling more than 20 percent of the World Cup to foreign investors.
According to the English newspaper The Athletic, the 56-year-old FIFA president has faced heavy pressure in recent weeks over that proposal and is now examining plans for a major Under-15 World Cup involving all 211 FIFA members.
Over the past year, the Swiss-Italian FIFA chief has held talks with private investors about developing and commercializing the event, drawing inspiration from the Little League World Series. The proposed tournament would include all 211 FIFA members, with Palestine and Israel potentially playing the opening match.
The idea was put forward by businessmen including Juan Carlos Rodriguez, a former commissioner of the Mexican Football Federation. He received backing from Eldridge Industries, the global holding company founded and chaired by Chelsea chairman and Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly. Talks were also held with ESPN, the longtime broadcaster of the Little League World Series, about staging the event at ESPN Wide World of Sports near Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
The proposal was first announced after the FIFA Council meeting in December 2025. FIFA has confirmed that the inaugural edition would be boys-only, followed by a girls’ tournament in 2027. After that, boys’ and girls’ competitions would be held separately at different times of the year.
