FIFA president Gianni Infantino reportedly explored an extraordinary plan for a new Under-15 World Cup that would involve all 211 FIFA member associations, with the proposed tournament designed as a global youth football festival.
The ambitious concept reportedly included ceremonies at Walt Disney World in Florida and even an opening match between Israel and Palestine as a symbolic gesture aimed at promoting unity through football.
However, the project was ultimately shelved ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
A World Cup involving every FIFA nation
According to reporting from The Athletic, the proposal was developed with private investors and was inspired partly by baseball's Little League World Series.
Rather than following the traditional format of a World Cup, the proposed competition would have brought together teams representing all 211 FIFA members, creating a truly global youth tournament.
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The plans reportedly included shorter matches and smaller pitches, with the focus placed on development, participation and creating a large-scale football festival for young players.
The idea had already been discussed by Infantino in December, when he described the expansion of youth competitions as a natural next step for FIFA.
Why Disneyland was part of the plan
The proposal went far beyond football matches.
Organisers reportedly explored using the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, located within the Walt Disney World resort, as a potential venue.
Discussions were also held with ESPN, while the concept included the possibility of staging opening and closing ceremonies at Disney's theme parks.
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That commercial and entertainment-focused approach would have made the tournament markedly different from FIFA's traditional youth competitions.
The aim appeared to be creating an event that combined football, entertainment and tourism rather than simply staging a conventional international tournament.
Infantino wanted Israel vs Palestine to open the tournament
Perhaps the most striking element of the proposal was the reported plan for Israel and Palestine to play the opening match.
The idea was intended as a sporting gesture of unity, using football to bring the two sides together on the international stage.
However, the proposal was eventually dropped.
Relations between the two football associations remained tense, and reports say representatives of the federations declined to shake hands at a FIFA Congress in Vancouver. The proposed fixture therefore did not make it into the final plans.
The project was eventually shelved
Despite the scale of the plans, the proposed tournament did not move forward.
The project was reportedly abandoned shortly before the 2026 World Cup, leaving the ambitious 211-team concept on the drawing board. [Goal]
Its reported collapse comes as FIFA continues to explore ways of expanding football's global reach while also facing questions about commercialisation and the increasingly crowded international football calendar.
For a tournament involving every FIFA member, the logistical demands would have been enormous.
FIFA's wider youth football ambitions
The idea nevertheless reflects Infantino's broader push to expand opportunities for young players.
FIFA has increasingly placed emphasis on youth competitions and development, with the proposed U-15 concept offering an opportunity to give every member association a place on a global stage.
For countries that rarely qualify for senior World Cups, an all-member youth tournament could also provide valuable international experience.
But turning that concept into a financially and logistically sustainable competition would be a completely different challenge.
For now, the 211-nation U-15 World Cup remains an abandoned proposal — but the extraordinary details of the plan show just how ambitious Infantino's vision for global youth football had become.
Fan Debate
●🔥 FIRE: Would you watch a 211-nation U-15 World Cup?
●😲 SHOCK: What do you think of the Disneyland ceremony idea?
●⚽ GOAL: Would an all-FIFA-member youth tournament help develop football globally?
●👍 LIKE: Should FIFA revisit the concept?
●💬 COMMENT: What would you change about the proposed tournament?
Comments (1)
A
Anonymous
8/22/2026 at 08:58 AM
Wow