THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) U15 Boys’ National Team is preparing to depart Guyana for Baku, Azerbaijan, where the squad will represent the nation at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival, joining more than 3,000 players, coaches, and officials from around the world for this landmark international football event.
The tournament, scheduled to take place at the Hovsan Competition Complex in Baku, will feature an innovative 8-a-side format, with matches consisting of two 20-minute halves.
Guyana will contest five qualification-stage matches from October 24–26, facing teams from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mauritius, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, and Vietnam.
The Golden Jaguars’ U15 squad will open their campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran on October 24 at 11:30 a.m., before facing Mauritius on October 25 at 10:15 a.m. Later that day, Guyana will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina at 5:00 p.m. The team will conclude the qualification stage with two matches on October 26 against Brunei Darussalam at 9:00 a.m. and Vietnam at 3:45 p.m.
Guyana’s 14-man squad will be guided by Head Coach Trevon Lythcott, Assistant Coach Jamal Pedro, and Goalkeeper Coach Delon Young. The team comprises a blend of local and international-based talent, reflecting the GFF’s commitment to providing young footballers with opportunities to develop their skills and gain valuable international experience.
The squad includes captain and defender Nyron Barrow of Western Tigers FC, alongside fellow defenders Tyler Abrams of Den Amstel FC, Joel Griffith of Vurlon Mills Football Academy, and Lawrence Wong of Vurlon Mills Football Academy.
The midfield contingent features 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 Vurlon Mills Football Academy, and Malachi Muhammad of Den Amstel FC.
Leading the attacking options are Joel Stephen of Buxton Stars FC, Jaden Christian of Fruta Conquerors FC, and Callum La-Rose of North Toronto FC. The two goalkeepers selected are Christiano Solomon of Paradise Invaders FC and Royston Winter of Gladiators FC.
GFF President Wayne Forde highlighted the U-15 Youth Ensemble Championship’s role in identifying and developing young talent for future national team representation.
“The GFF U-15 Youth Ensemble Championship has played an important role in strengthening our talent identification process, providing a valuable platform forour technical team to assess young players, identify emerging talent and select those with the potential to represent Guyana at the international level. The selection of this squad reflects the importance of creating structured opportunities for our young footballers to be seen, assessed and developed.
At the GFF, we are determined to invest more time, resources and expertise in youth football because we recognise that the future of our national teams depends on the quality of the development pathways we establish today. Our participation in the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival is another step in that commitment, giving these young players the opportunity to experience international competition, learn from different footballing environments and gain valuable exposure to the demands of the professional game. We will continue to strengthen this pathway so that more of Guyana’s young talents can progress and fulfil their potential.”
The inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival is designed to expand access to international football, particularly for member associations for whom qualification for traditional FIFA competitions presents significant challenges. By bringing young players from across the global football community together, the initiative aims to provide meaningful competitive opportunities, encourage international exchange, and allow participating nations to benchmark their development against teams from different footballing environments.
For Guyana, participation represents an important opportunity for the young squad to test itself on the international stage, gain exposure to different playing styles, and build experience that can support their continued development within the national football programme.
As the team prepares for its departure, the GFF extends its best wishes to the players and technical staff, encouraging them to represent Guyana with pride, discipline, and determination while embracing the opportunity to learn, compete, and grow through this historic FIFA event.
