Arsene Wenger attends Russia U-15 match at FIFA tournament in Azerbaijan
FIFA's head of global football development Arsene Wenger attended a U-15 tournament match in Baku featuring the Russian youth team.
Арсен Венгер, gettyimages
Arsene Wenger, FIFA's head of global football development, attended a match between the youth national teams of Russia and Afghanistan as part of the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival held in Azerbaijan. The game took place on October 26 in Baku, with the Russian team securing an 8-0 victory.
Wenger arrived in Azerbaijan ahead of the tournament to participate in events surrounding the inaugural FIFA U-15 competition. Following the match, the Frenchman offered a positive assessment of the Russian players' performance, stating they left a "very good impression."
The participation of the Russian team in this tournament has drawn significant attention, as it marks the first official FIFA-sanctioned event since 2022 where a Russian squad is competing under its national flag and anthem. FIFA decided to open the U-15 festival to all member associations, which allowed for the Russian team's inclusion despite the international suspensions imposed on Russian national teams in 2022.