Egypt has been selected to be the host country of the 42nd World Scout Conference and 14th World Scout Youth Forum in 2020. The announcement was made after all delegation of the 42st World Scout Conference 2017 in Baku Congress Center vote their choice on Friday, 18th August 2017.

The World Scout Conference is the governing body of WOSM, and is where many important decisions are made. Member organizations consider the policy and standards of the Scout Movement, formulate the general policy of the World Organization and take the action required to further the purpose of the Movement. Some of the functions of the Conference are to elect members of the World Scout Committee, admit new member countries, and select the venues for forthcoming World Scout Events, namely World Scout Jamborees, World Scout Moots, World Scout Conferences and World Scout Youth Forums. The Conference takes place every three years.

The World Scout Youth Forum takes place in conjunction with the World Scout Conference. The Youth Forum will take place before the conference and provides an opportunity for youth members of World Scouting to discuss different issues that face their NSOs from a youth perspective. Each National Scout Organization is invited to send a delegation to the World Scout Youth Forum. The participants must be between 18 and 26 years old. Many participants of the Youth Forum are also delegates at the World Scout Conference. The World Scout Youth Forum is considered as an interim measure to improve youth involvement in decision-making at world level and at the end of the Forum suggestions may be put forward to the Conference for consideration.

For the 42nd World Scout Conference and 14th World Scout Youth Forum 2020 there were two candidates, Egypt and Malaysia. Each delegation in the conference who have voting right choose their decision and as the announcement has been made, Egypt has selected as the host country.