International football governing body FIFA has expressed its gratitude to the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) for the high-standard organisation of refereeing at the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival, held in Azerbaijan from 22 to 30 October 2026.
In an official letter addressed by FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina to AFFA Secretary General Jahangir Farajullayev, FIFA highly praised the organisation of refereeing in accordance with high standards and the professional officiating of matches at the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival.
“The successful delivery of such an important event was made possible only through professional preparation, strong organisational skills and dedicated teamwork. In this regard, we would like to specifically acknowledge the efforts of the AFFA Referees Committee and Refereeing Department,” the letter stated.
In the letter, Pierluigi Collina also thanked all AFFA staff involved in the organisation of refereeing and the officiating of matches, particularly the Azerbaijani referees, for their invaluable contribution to the successful staging of the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival.
It should be noted that a total of 86 referees took part in the matches of the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival held in Azerbaijan. Of these, 80 were Azerbaijani referees, while three were from Georgia and three from Türkiye.
