The DR Congo U15 Leopards booked their place in the last 16 of the FIFA U15 World Cup by beating Mauritius 4-1 on Wednesday in Baku. Senegal also qualified for the last 16 of Division B.
The young Leopards are continuing their run in League D of the FIFA U15 World Cup. On Wednesday, at the Hovsan sports complex in Baku, the Congolese U15 national team beat Mauritius 4-1, according to ACP, securing their qualification for the last 16.
A win built from the opening minutes: Elie Lobwa opened the scoring in the 3rd minute and again in the 12th, before Elie Mazangala also grabbed a brace, in the 6th and 24th minutes. The victory follows DR Congo’s first two wins in the competition, against Guinea-Bissau (1-0) and Nepal (4-0).
A group stage mastered
Before this final match, head coach Zico Tumba’s side had already laid solid foundations. Their first two outings, against Guinea-Bissau and then Nepal, produced two wins and five goals in total. Against Mauritius, the Congolese confirmed their momentum by scoring four goals, including two braces from Lobwa and Mazangala.
The tournament is indeed played 8-a-side on small pitches, in two 20-minute halves, a particular format in which the Leopards have strung together three wins.
Senegal keep rolling in Division B
Meanwhile, Senegal booked their place in the last 16 of Division B. They beat Georgia 4-1 in the round of 32, inspired by a hat-trick from Abdoulaye Diallo, a striker with Salam Académie. The forward struck in the 5th, 14th and 23rd minutes, well served by Pierre Fleury Mbengue and setting up a goal for Georges Kanfom, according to Wiwsport.
The tournament brings together 191 member associations and more than 3,000 players and officials, with nearly 1,000 matches scheduled from 22 to 31 October in Baku. The 2026 edition covers boys born in 2011 and 2012; a women’s edition is planned for 2027.
A development tournament under FIFA’s umbrella
The U15 World Cup and Festival, which has been running since 24 October in the Azerbaijani capital, is a development project approved by FIFA on 25 June 2026. Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global football development, recalled that “talent exists everywhere, but young players don’t always have the same opportunities”.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the Sierra Leone U15 team on pitch 9B and told the young players: “Enjoy your festival, guys”, according to Spear News SL. Sierra Leone, drawn in group AE with Russia, Turkey, Afghanistan, Sudan and Djibouti, beat Turkey 5-1 and Djibouti 5-0 after a 2-1 defeat to Afghanistan.
For DR Congo, the last-16 opponent and kick-off time remain to be officially confirmed, according to ACP. The U15 World Cup continues until 31 October in Baku.