U15

U15, short for under-15, is a designation used in many sports and competitive activities to identify players who are under 15 years of age. It is part of the youth development ladder and is used across a range of sports, including association football (soccer), basketball, rugby union, ice hockey, field hockey, cricket, and athletics. In most cases, eligibility is determined by the player’s date of birth in relation to a governing body’s cutoff date; players must be under the age limit on the specified date, such as the start of a season or calendar year. The exact cutoff and age range can vary by sport and country, so a player who turns 15 before the cutoff would be ineligible for U15 in that competition.

Competitions at the U15 level can be organized as national leagues, regional circuits, or international championships for national teams. U15 teams are typically part of youth development programs in clubs and national associations, serving as a pathway to higher age groups (U17, U19, U21) and eventually to senior teams. Training at this level generally emphasizes technical skills, game understanding, physical development, and sport-specific conditioning, while competition formats may emphasize development and participation alongside results.

Variations exist in how the category is labeled or split in different sports or regions; some organizations run U15 tournaments alongside other age groups, such as U13 or U17, within the same sport. The U15 designation thus serves as a standard reference point within the broader system of youth sport.