FIFA experiment with three new rules at under-15 World Cup that would change the sport forever

FIFA made a series of bold changes at the under-15 World Cup, with three new rules being introduced to 'promote fast-paced football' and allow more touches of the ball.

The inaugural under-15 World Cup & Festival took place in Azerbaijan last month, a tournament that featured 189 teams from six confederations: UEFA, CAF, AFC, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL and OFC.

Spain were eventually crowned champions as goals from Tiago Polo, Bruno Fernandez and Adrian Bielsa sealed a 3-0 win over Czechia 3–0 in the Tier A final.

READ MORE: Arsene Wenger’s new offside rule has divided opinion

Overall, the week-long tournament proved to be an entertaining spectacle. In total, 4,505 goals were scored across 932 matches, which equates to an average of 4.83 goals per game.

FIFA were intent on delivering attacking, fast-paced football, with three experimental rules being introduced to make matches more free-flowing.

The inaugural under-15 World Cup & Festival took place in Baku. Image credit: Getty

One of those changes was the ability to use unlimited substitutions rather than being restricted to five changes, allowing more players to feature while giving coaches the chance to rotate and manage fitness levels.

Throw-ins were also replaced by kick-ins in a bid to encourage faster, more fluid football while giving players more touches of the ball and opportunities to develop technically.

Finally, the offside rule was modified so that players could only be penalised once they entered a designated attacking zone, marked by a line 14 metres from the opposition's goal.

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is FIFA's chief of global football development, explained the rule changes ahead of last month's opening game.

“At this age, the most important thing is to play. Young players need meaningful matches, different opponents and different football experiences in order to develop," he said.

"Talent exists everywhere, but the opportunities available to young players are not always the same. This tournament gives players from across the world the chance to compete, to learn and to grow."

He added: "Giving every talent a chance means helping promising players be found, trained and given the opportunity to play, so they can reach their full potential.”

FIFA explain format change for under-15 World Cup

The tournament featured players born in 2011 or 2012, with eight-a-side matches played over two 20-minute halves on smaller pitches measuring 68 by 47 metres, although full-size goals were used.

Each team was allowed a squad of 14 players and up to six staff members, while the competition was divided into an initial round-robin qualification stage and a subsequent tournament stage, with six separate tiers each producing a winner.

FIFA also shared an insight into their motives behind making such drastic changes.

"To deliver on the central football development philosophy behind the tournament, FIFA have designed a format that will promote fast-paced football with more touches and interactions on the ball, allowing each player to focus on and develop their technical skills," they said.

"A small-sided format, unlimited substitutions and kick-ins will help achieve this, while shorter matches will allow for more experience against varied opposition.