The Athletic reports that FIFA intends to open its youth tournament…

The Athletic reports that FIFA intends to open its youth tournament with a match between the Israeli and Palestinian national teams.

Consensus

• FIFA will host a youth football festival for players under 15 years old
• The tournament will be held in the United States in September 2026
• The opening match will feature Israel and Palestine
• All 211 FIFA member associations will be able to participate
• The tournament will be held on smaller fields with shorter matches
• FIFA announced the event in December 2025
• A similar tournament for girls is planned for 2027

Points of divergence

• The tournament will be held in Miami and is specifically for youth teams — vedomosti
• The exact location has not yet been announced — kommersant
• The idea originated from a failed handshake attempt between officials at the FIFA congress in Vancouver in April — vedomosti
• The idea came from a failed handshake attempt between officials at the FIFA congress in Vancouver in April — kommersant