FIFA has selected Georgia and Armenia to jointly host the 2029 Under-20 World Cup. This will be the first time that these two countries from the South Caucasus region will host a FIFA tournament.
The decision was made during a FIFA Council meeting held in Vancouver, Canada, just before the 76th FIFA Congress. This tournament, held every two years, brings together 24 youth teams from around the world and is considered a platform for future stars. The Football Federation of Armenia described this as a ‘historic achievement’ and stated that it symbolizes the trust of the international football community.
The federation’s president, Armen Melikbekyan, mentioned that this tournament will provide local players and fans with a World Cup-like experience. Meanwhile, the president of the Georgian Football Federation, Levan Kobiashvili, expressed confidence that this event will give a new direction to the development of football in the region, calling it a ‘unique moment’ in Georgia’s independent football history. The competition began in 1977 in Tunisia, originally known as the FIFA World Youth Championship, and was renamed to its current form in 2007.
So far, 23 editions have been played, with Argentina Under-20 winning the most titles at six, while Brazil Under-20 follows with five titles. Recently, Morocco won the title in the tournament held in Chile in 2025.
The next edition in 2027 will be jointly hosted by Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. FIFA’s decision is seen as a significant step for regional sports development, with hopes of revitalizing youth football in the coming years.
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