Argentina faces a marathon Sub-15 tournament in Baku

The game that defined the challenge is not even being played yet. Argentina's first match will be against Algeria on Saturday at 2:00 a.m. Argentine time, but the real test starts immediately: the squad must play five matches in 72 hours, with only a few hours to recover between some games. There is no room for drifting. The format is compressed, the pitches are small and the tournament lasts only seven days.

This Saturday, Baku opens the first FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival. 189 of the FIFA's 211 member associations will take part, with nearly 3,000 footballers and about 950 games spread across six days. Argentina arrives with 14 players, coached by Adrián Gallará, the Córdoba-based coach who has been with the AFA's youth divisions since 2017.

A tournament with its own rules

This is not a conventional World Cup. The 189 teams are divided into 32 groups, and every team plays every opponent once. Nobody is eliminated in the group stage. The group winners move to Level A, where the first world champion in this category will be determined. The other teams continue through Levels B, C, D, E and F, before the knockout stage assigns final positions.

• Teams field eight players, including the goalkeeper.
• Matches have two 20-minute halves, with five minutes of rest.
• The playing fields measure 68 by 47 metres.
• Squads may have up to 14 players, born in 2011 or 2012.
• Each team can play a maximum of two matches per day.

Argentina's schedule is especially demanding. After facing Algeria on Saturday, the squad plays Chinese Taipei at 5:45 on Sunday and Oman at 12:30. On Monday come Suriname at 4:30 and Malawi at 11:15. In other words, the group stage is less a short tournament than a survival test. "You have to think before you move," says the challenge that awaits the Argentine players. Gallará will have to manage minutes, effort and concentration without falling into the trap of a football that is usually more spacious and slower.

The compressed calendar could benefit teams with greater experience, especially in physical preparation and recovery. But it can also open the door to emerging selections. With eight players on the field, a quick transition can change a match in a few seconds. The reduced space rewards pressing, improvisation and collective movement. In this format, experience helps, although it does not guarantee control.

“The key will be not only to win the first game, but to arrive prepared for the fourth and fifth. In a tournament like this, depth and recovery matter as much as football.”Nahuel Agüero, Deportes

For Argentina, the next date is clear: Saturday against Algeria. After that, every hour will count. The tournament will be decided by details, legs and the ability to reset quickly. The next match is already waiting.