2025 COSAFA U-20 Championship

Last updated
COSAFA U-20
Youth Championship 2025
2025 COSAFA U-20 Championship Logo.png
Tournament details
Host countryNamibia
Dates4 – 13 July
Teams8 (from 1 sub-confederation)
Venue(s)2 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
ChampionsFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa (10th title)
Runners-upFlag of Malawi.svg  Malawi
Third placeFlag of Zambia.svg  Zambia
Fourth placeFlag of Angola.svg  Angola
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored44 (2.75 per match)
Top scorer(s) Flag of Malawi.svg Mwisho Mhango
(4 goals)
Best player(s) Flag of Malawi.svg Mwisho Mhango
Best goalkeeper Flag of South Africa.svg Solethu Radebe
Fair play awardFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
2024
TBD

The 2025 COSAFA U-20 Championship was the 30th edition of the COSAFA U-20 Youth Championship, the international youth football championship organised by COSAFA for the men's under-20 national teams of Southern Africa. The tournament doubled as the men's football competition for the AUSC Region 5 Youth Games Namibia 2025 and was hosted in Windhoek from 4 to 13 July 2025. [1] [2] A total of eight teams played in the tournament, with players born on or after 1 January 2005 eligible to participate.

Contents

South Africa were the defending champions, having won their ninth title in last year's edition. [3] They successfully defended their title, finishing the tournament unbeaten. [4]

Participation

Participating teams

Note: All appearance statistics are counted starting from the 1999 edition, as limited information is available for the earlier years.

TeamAppLastPrevious best performance
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola [5] 21st 2024 Runners-up (2000, 2001, 2002)
Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana [6] 21st 2024 Third place (2009, 2013)
Flag of Eswatini.svg  Eswatini [7] 22nd 2024 Third place (1985, 1986, 1988, 1990)
Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi [8] 19th 2024 Runners-up (2003)
Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia [9] 19th 2024 Runners-up (2010, 2020)
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 22nd 2024 Champions (2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2024)
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia [10] 22nd 2024 Champions (1983, 1986, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019 , 2022)
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe [11] 20th 2024 Champions (1985, 1988, 1990, 2001, 2002, 2007)
Did not enter

Draw

The tournament final draw took place on 27 April 2025. [12]

The draw resulted in the following groups:

Group A
PosTeam
A1Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia
A2Flag of Angola.svg  Angola
A3Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi
A4Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe
Group B
PosTeam
B1Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
B2Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia
B3Flag of Eswatini.svg  Eswatini
B4Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana

Officials

A total of 6 Referees, 6 Assistants were selected for the tournament.

Referees
Assistant referees

Group stage

All times are local, CAT (UTC+2). The match schedule was confirmed by COSAFA on 13 June 2025. [13]

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi 321052+37Advance to knockout stage
2Flag of Angola.svg  Angola 321041+37
3Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia (H)31023523
4Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe 30033740
Source: COSAFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Malawi  Flag of Malawi.svg2–1Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe
Report
Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: António Chivavel (Mozambique)
Namibia  Flag of Namibia.svg0–1Flag of Angola.svg  Angola
Report Cundula Soccerball shade.svg14'
Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: Charles Ng'andwe (Zambia)

Angola  Flag of Angola.svg1–1Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi
Marcelo Soccerball shade.svg45+4' Report Mhango Soccerball shade.svg17'
Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: Hamilton Kebonang (Botswana)
Namibia  Flag of Namibia.svg3–2Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe
Report
Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: David Chinoko (Malawi)

Namibia  Flag of Namibia.svg0–2Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi
Report
Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: Owen Manenda (Zimbabwe)
Angola  Flag of Angola.svg2–0Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe
Report
UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: Fillipus Nghilinganye (Namibia)

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 321083+57Advance to knockout stage
2Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia 321073+47
3Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana 31023523
4Flag of Eswatini.svg  Eswatini 30031870
Source: COSAFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Eswatini  Flag of Eswatini.svg1–3Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana
Report
Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: Fillipus Nghilinganye (Namibia)
South Africa  Flag of South Africa.svg3–3Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia
Report
Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: Owen Manenda (Zimbabwe)

Zambia  Flag of Zambia.svg3–0Flag of Eswatini.svg  Eswatini
Report
Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: António Chivavel (Mozambique)
South Africa  Flag of South Africa.svg3–0Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana
Report
Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: Charles Ng'andwe (Zambia)

South Africa  Flag of South Africa.svg2–0Flag of Eswatini.svg  Eswatini
Report
Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: António Chivavel (Mozambique)
Zambia  Flag of Zambia.svg1–0Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana
Chimwemwe Soccerball shade.svg80' Report
UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: David Chinoko (Malawi)

Knockout stage

Bracket

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
11 July
 
 
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 2
 
13 July
 
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola 0
 
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 3
 
11 July
 
Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi 0
 
Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi 2
 
 
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia 1
 
Third place
 
 
12 July
 
 
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola 1 (4)
 
 
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia (p)1 (5)

Semi-finals

South Africa  Flag of South Africa.svg2–0Flag of Angola.svg  Angola
Report
UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: David Chinoko (Malawi)

Malawi  Flag of Malawi.svg2–1Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia
Report
UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: Fillipus Nghilinganye (Namibia)

Third place

Angola  Flag of Angola.svg1–1Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia
Barraba Soccerball shade.svg89' (pen.) Report Daka Soccerball shade.svg14'
Penalties
4–5
UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: António Chivavel (Mozambique)

Final

South Africa  Flag of South Africa.svg3–0Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi
Report
UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek
Referee: Owen Manenda (Zimbabwe)

Goalscorers

There were 44 goals scored in 16 matches, for an average of 2.75 goals per match.

4 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

See also

References

  1. Mupetami, Limba (3 July 2025). "Namibia in gear to host Region 5 Games". neweralive.na. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  2. "Under-20 Men's and Women's competitions set for Region 5 Games". cosafa.com. COSAFA. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  3. "South Africa to defend regional U20 crown in Windhoek". cosafa.com. COSAFA. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  4. Pongco, Siya (14 July 2025). "Amajita's 10th Cosafa title is a game changer for youth football". ssschoolsplus.co.za. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  5. "Angola still in search of first COSAFA Under-20 title". cosafa.com. 10 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  6. "Botswana hope for first ever final spot at regional U20 tournament". cosafa.com. 11 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  7. "Eswatini hoping for first knockout place in 23 years at regional U20 Championships". cosafa.com. 18 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  8. "Malawi men look to knockout rounds at Region 5 Games". cosafa.com. 18 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  9. "Namibia hope to use home ground advantage at Region 5 Games". cosafa.com. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  10. "Zambia look for lucky 13 at regional Under-20 Championship". cosafa.com. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  11. "Zimbabwe seek long-awaited regional Under-20 crown in Namibia". cosafa.com. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  12. Nikodemus, Sheefeni (29 April 2025). "Region Five Games draw reveals matchups". namibian.com.na. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  13. "Fixtures released for Region 5 Games u20 football competitions". cosafa.com. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.