Baku:FIFA President Gianni Infantino has extended his gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the successful organization of the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival held in Baku.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Infantino took to Instagram to describe the opening ceremony in Baku as a historic and fantastic event. He expressed his thanks to several key figures, including Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Deputy Prime Minister Samir Sharifov, officials at the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) led by President Rovshan Najaf, his colleagues at FIFA, and everyone involved in making the competition a success. Infantino highlighted the importance of the event in providing young talents with the opportunity to unite and create special memories, showcasing participation from 189 FIFA Member Associations across all six confederations.

The official opening ceremony took place at the Baku Crystal Hall on October 24, with notable attendees including President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and their family members, along with FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Following the ceremony, the inaugural match saw the Azerbaijani national team secure a decisive 6-0 victory over Timor-Leste.