From 22 to 30 October 2026 Baku hosts the first FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival: around 190 countries, roughly 1,000 matches and more than 3,000 young players, coaches and officials. Almost every game is played at the new Hövsan Competition Complex, with the opening match and the 30 October finals at Baku Crystal Hall.
Teams travel to their games on dedicated tournament buses. This guide is for everyone else — parents and families, federation staff, journalists and scouts — who need to get to Hövsan on their own.
Hövsan is a settlement on the south-east edge of Baku (Suraxanı district), between the airport and the Caspian coast. It is not in the city centre, and that's the main thing to plan around.
| From | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Heydar Aliyev Airport (GYD) | about 12 km | around 10 min |
| City centre / Old City | about 25 km | 35–50 min, depending on traffic |
The complex has 10 pitches and small stands (around 100 seats at the two main pitches, about 50 at the others), so it can get busy around kick-off times.
Taxi apps (Bolt, Uber). Fine for getting there from the centre in daytime. The hard part is the way back: Hövsan is on the edge of the city, so drivers can take a while to accept, and after the last matches many people will be ordering at the same time.
Public transport. No metro line reaches Hövsan. City buses do run there, but with changes it usually takes well over an hour from the centre — not ideal with a kick-off to catch.
Private transfer (what we do). A fixed price per car, agreed before you travel, the same at 7 am or 11 pm:
The driver waits for you at the hotel or in the arrivals hall with a name sign, tracks your flight, and gives you 60 minutes of free waiting after landing. Book a round trip with your return time and the driver picks you up again after the match.
Confirmation comes by email in about a minute, cancellation is free, and you pay the driver in cash.
Matches don't fill every day. Popular half-day and day trips from Baku:
Almost all matches are at the new Hövsan Competition Complex on the south-east edge of Baku. The opening match and the finals on 30 October are at Baku Crystal Hall.
About 12 km, or around 10 minutes by car. A fixed-price transfer from the airport costs $20 per car.
It's about 25 km, 35 to 50 minutes depending on traffic. You can use a taxi app, a city bus with changes (over an hour), or a fixed-price private transfer from $20 per car.
Yes. Book a round trip with your return time, or hire a car with driver for the whole day if you're watching several matches.
No. Teams travel to their matches on dedicated tournament buses. Our transfers are for families, federation staff, journalists and other visitors.