Guyana’s Under-15 boys’ national football team will travel to Baku, Azerbaijan, to compete in the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival, where the young Golden Jaguars will face five international opponents during the qualification stage.
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) announced the 14-man squad on October 16, with the team set to compete at the Hovsan Competition Complex from October 24 to 26.
The event is expected to bring together more than 3,000 players, coaches and officials from around the world, providing young footballers with an opportunity to gain international experience.
The competition will use an eight-a-side format, with matches consisting of two 20-minute halves.
Guyana will open its campaign against Iran on October 24 at 11:30 a.m., before facing Mauritius at 10:15 a.m. and Bosnia and Herzegovina at 5 p.m. on October 25. The team will complete the qualification stage on October 26 against Brunei Darussalam at 9 a.m. and Vietnam at 3:45 p.m.
The squad will be led by captain and defender Nyron Barrow of Western Tigers FC. Other defenders selected are Tyler Abrams of Den Amstel FC, Joel Griffith and Lawrence Wong of the Vurlon Mills Football Academy.
The midfield includes Mark Stewart of South Side High School International, Kijani Drakes of Met Oval Academy International, Mateo Morel of Florida Kraze Krush FC, Jashan Haynes of the Vurlon Mills Football Academy and Malachi Muhammad of Den Amstel FC.
Guyana’s attacking options are Joel Stephen of Buxton Stars FC, Jaden Christian of Fruta Conquerors FC and Callum La-Rose of North Toronto FC. Goalkeepers Christiano Solomon of Paradise Invaders FC and Royston Winter of Gladiators FC complete the squad.
Head coach Trevon Lythcott will lead the team, assisted by Jamal Pedro, with Delon Young serving as goalkeeper coach.
GFF President Wayne Forde said the selection reflected the importance of structured youth competitions in identifying and developing players for national representation.
“The GFF U-15 Youth Ensemble Championship has played an important role in strengthening our talent identification process, providing a valuable platform for our technical team to assess young players, identify emerging talent and select those with the potential to represent Guyana at the international level,” Forde said.
He added that the federation intended to invest further in youth football, arguing that the strength of future national teams would depend on the quality of development opportunities available to young players.
Forde said participation in the inaugural FIFA event would expose the squad to different playing styles and footballing environments while helping players understand the demands of international competition.
The FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival is designed to widen access to international football, particularly for member associations that face challenges qualifying for traditional FIFA competitions. It also aims to encourage exchange between countries and give young players opportunities to measure their development against international opposition.
For Guyana, the tournament offers the squad an opportunity to test its abilities against teams from different footballing backgrounds while gaining experience that could support their progression through the national programme.
The GFF has urged the players to represent the country with discipline, pride and determination as they prepare for the trip to Azerbaijan.
