Guyana’s Junior Golden Jaguars are gaining valuable international experience at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, where the country’s under-15 boys’ team is competing against youth sides from around the world.
The tournament, which runs from October 24 to 30, brings together players, coaches and officials from 189 FIFA member associations, with more than 3,000 participants expected to take part. The event is designed to broaden access to international competition and provide young footballers with opportunities to develop their skills against unfamiliar opposition.
According to FIFA, the tournament uses an eight-a-side format, with matches played over two 20-minute halves. Teams first compete in a qualification stage before being placed into performance tiers for the remainder of the event. There are no knockout eliminations, allowing every team to continue playing through the final day.
Guyana entered the competition with five qualification-stage fixtures scheduled between October 24 and 26 against Iran, Mauritius, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam and Vietnam.
The squad is led by head coach Trevon Lythcott, assisted by Jamal Pedro and goalkeeper coach Delon Young. Western Tigers defender Nyron Barrow captains the 14-player team, which combines locally based footballers with players developing their skills overseas.
The defensive group includes Tyler Abrams of Den Amstel FC, alongside Joel Griffith and Lawrence Wong of the Vurlon Mills Football Academy. Midfield options include Mark Stewart, Kijani Drakes, Mateo Morel, Jashan Haynes and Malachi Muhammad.
Joel Stephen, Jaden Christian and Callum La-Rose lead the attacking options, while Christiano Solomon and Royston Winter are the goalkeepers.
Before departure, Lythcott said the team was prepared to pursue ambitious goals while remaining focused on its game plan.
“It is just a matter of putting everything together now, and I think we have the right bunch to actually bring out everything we want to execute,” he said, according to the Guyana Chronicle.
He also stressed the importance of concentration, teamwork and executing the team’s strategy.
The tournament represents an important development opportunity for Guyana’s young players, giving them exposure to different footballing styles and a chance to measure their progress internationally.
The FIFA initiative is intended to strengthen youth development worldwide, particularly for countries whose teams face challenges qualifying for traditional international tournaments. A girls’ edition is planned for 2027, with annual boys’ and girls’ events scheduled from 2028.
