Spain have been crowned champions of the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival after defeating the Czech Republic 3-0 in the final in Baku, Azerbaijan, while Ghana’s Black Comets finished seventh overall.

The Spanish youngsters produced a commanding performance in the final to claim the historic title, becoming the first winners of the newly introduced FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival.

Ghana, meanwhile, brought their campaign to a positive close with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Colombia in the seventh-place play-off, recovering from a heavy defeat to Brazil in their previous outing.

The Black Comets had suffered a 7-1 loss to Brazil in the Tier A ranking play-off for fifth to eighth place after their quarter-final hopes were ended by Paraguay. Ghana played out a 2-2 draw with Paraguay before losing 7-6 in a penalty shootout.

Despite those setbacks, the young Ghanaians responded with character against Colombia, securing a convincing victory to finish seventh in the competition.

Ghana enjoyed an impressive run in the tournament, winning eight of their ten matches and scoring 44 goals. They began with a perfect group-stage record in Group W, recording five wins against Uzbekistan, Myanmar, Guam, the Bahamas and Kazakhstan.

Their momentum continued into the knockout stages, where they defeated South Korea 2-1 in the Round of 32 before producing an impressive 5-2 victory over Mexico in the Round of 16.

The encounter against Mexico was particularly memorable for Shamsudeen Sulemana, who scored four goals in a remarkable individual performance. Abdul Aziz Issah also made a significant contribution throughout the tournament, scoring crucial goals against South Korea, Mexico and Colombia.

Although the quarter-final defeat to Paraguay denied Ghana a place in the last four, their seventh-place finish capped a productive campaign and provided valuable international experience for the country’s emerging talents.

For Spain, however, the tournament ended with a historic achievement as they lifted the inaugural trophy following their 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic in the final.

Ghana leave Azerbaijan with eight wins, 44 goals scored and a seventh-place finish, giving the Black Comets plenty of positives to build on as they continue their development on the international stage.

Ghana’s National U-15 Boys team, the Black Comets, saw their title ambitions end in the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan after suffering a narrow 7-6 penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay.

The quarter-final encounter ended 2-2 in regulation time, with the Black Comets showing determination to fight their way back into contention. However, Paraguay held their nerve from the spot, converting seven penalties to Ghana’s six to advance to the semi-finals.

Despite the painful exit, Ghana’s campaign has been one of the standout stories of the tournament, with the young side recording seven consecutive victories before their quarter-final setback.

The Black Comets began their Group W campaign with a convincing 4-1 victory over Uzbekistan before sweeping aside Myanmar 7-1. They continued their impressive scoring form with back-to-back 7-0 wins against Guam and the Bahamas, before closing the group stage with a 2-1 triumph over Kazakhstan.

Ghana finished top of Group W with a perfect record of five wins from five matches, scoring 27 goals and conceding just three.

Their dominance continued into the knockout stages, where they defeated Korea Republic 2-1 in the Round of 32 before producing another impressive display to beat Mexico 5-2 in the Round of 16.

Shamsudeen Sulemana was the star of the victory over Mexico, scoring four goals, while Abdul Aziz Issah added another to send Ghana into the quarter-finals with confidence.

The defeat to Paraguay brings Ghana’s winning streak to an end, but it does little to diminish the remarkable progress the team has made in Azerbaijan. Across eight matches, the Black Comets scored 34 goals, demonstrating their attacking quality and ability to compete against international opposition.

Their performances have provided an encouraging glimpse into the future of Ghanaian football, with the young players gaining valuable experience against teams from different footballing backgrounds.

Although a place in the semi-finals eluded them, Ghana’s campaign is not yet over. Under the tournament format, the Black Comets will participate in the ranking matches against the other quarter-final losers, giving them another opportunity to finish strongly.

For a team that won seven matches in a row and topped its group with maximum points, the quarter-final defeat is a disappointing end to their title pursuit, but their overall performance in Azerbaijan remains a significant achievement.

Full list of 2026 FIFA World Cup award winners

• Champions: Spain
• Runners-up: Argentina
• Third place: England
• Fourth place: France
• Golden Ball (Best Player): Rodri (Spain)
• Golden Boot (Top Scorer): Kylian Mbappé (France)
• Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper): Unai Simón (Spain)
• Best Young Player: Pau Cubarsí (Spain)
• FIFA Fair Play Award: Netherlands