2029 World Youth Championship: Commentary by Armen Melikbekyan and Yuri Djorkaeff

On April 28, a FIFA Executive Committee meeting was held in Vancouver, Canada, where the joint bid of Armenia and Georgia to host the 2029 FIFA World Youth Championship was selected as the winner.

Today, in a conversation with the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA), FFA President Armen Melikbekyan and FIFA President’s Special Adviser on Football Affairs Youri Djorkaeff spoke about hosting the 2029 World Youth Championship.

Armen Melikbekyan

“I congratulate the football community and all our compatriots. No matter how much we talk about it, it is truly difficult to fully grasp the importance of this tournament for our country and for football. Step by step, as we overcome challenges, we will better understand what a significant event this is. It is FIFA’s second most important tournament in men’s football—a very serious challenge that we will overcome together with our partners.

The process has been quite long. From the very first day, we have been supported and actively assisted by the Government of Armenia, personally by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. I would also like to highlight the role of Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan and our government partners, who have consistently supported us throughout this process.

Of course, the FFA has also worked diligently over these years, as the competition was very intense. I cannot disclose all the details, but you understand that there were many candidates to host FIFA’s second most important men’s tournament.

We are very grateful to our partners at FIFA and UEFA, who went through this process with us and believed that our two countries could organize a tournament of this scale.

The tournament will be held in three cities: Vanadzor, Ijevan, and Yerevan. The Government of Armenia will build and upgrade infrastructure. Details regarding the number of matches and venues will be announced after FIFA representatives visit Armenia and we hold detailed discussions about the next steps.

Armenia already has experience hosting the UEFA Under-19 Championship finals, as well as the UEFA Futsal Champions League finals. UEFA highly appreciated the organization of those tournaments, which is why they strongly supported us in this process.

I believe that through joint efforts and, of course, with government support, we will overcome all challenges and organize the celebration we are all waiting for.”

Youri Djorkaeff

“This is the best tournament for young footballers. It is important to understand that FIFA has entrusted Armenia and Georgia with its second most significant competition. This is a unique and tremendous opportunity for both countries.

The U-20 World Cup is one of the most successful tournaments, and almost every country wants to host it. For FIFA, it is essential to cooperate with federations that are actively involved in developing football in their regions.

A tournament of this scale has never been held in either Armenia or Georgia. This is a good sign that FIFA trusts our countries. That trust will allow Armenia to develop infrastructure, build new stadiums, and present itself to the world in the best possible way.

I am sincerely proud that the Football Federation of Armenia has done such tremendous work to host the U-20 World Cup in 2029 together with Georgia.

Sometimes it may seem that football is a simple game that everyone can play, but that is not the case. Everything starts from a certain point, and for Armenia, this is that starting point.

For 17-19-year-old footballers, participating in this tournament is a big dream. It is also a dream to see Armenia’s U-20 national team in this championship. I am confident that by 2029, Armenia will make great efforts to host the tournament at the highest level.”