2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Last updated
2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
Tournament details
Host countriesTBD (North Zone)
Mali (West A Zone)
Ivory Coast (West B Zone)
TBD (Central Zone)
Ethiopia (Central-East Zone)
Zimbabwe (South Zone)
Dates11 September 2025 –
Teams51
Tournament statistics
Matches played35
Goals scored109 (3.11 per match)
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The 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualification is a men's under-17 football competition that decided the participating teams of the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Contents

Players born on 1 January 2008 or later were eligible to participate in the competition. The host country for the final stage of the edition is Morocco, appointed during the annual CAF Executive Committee meeting along the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony in Marrakesh, Morocco where CAF appointed the country as host. [1]

Teams

ZoneSpotsTeams entering qualificationDid not enter
North Zone
(UNAF)		3 spots
West A Zone
(WAFU-UFOA A)		3 spots
West B Zone
(WAFU-UFOA B)		2 spots
Central Zone
(UNIFFAC)		2 spots
Central-East Zone
(CECAFA)		3 spots
South Zone
(COSAFA)		3 spots
Notes

North Zone

West A Zone

The WAFU-UFOA Zone A qualifiers for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations will be hosted by Mali with the matches played starting 5 October 2025. The matches will be played at Bamako, Mali.

All times are local, GMT (UTC+0).

Group stage

The eight teams were drawn into two groups of four teams. The winners and the runners-up of each group advanced to the semi-finals.

Tiebreakers

Teams were ranked according to the three points for a win system (3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if two teams were tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings (Regulations Article 13): [2]

  1. Points in head-to-head matches match between the two tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in all group matches;
  3. Goals scored in all group matches;
  4. Drawing of lots.

If more than two teams were tied, the following criteria were applied instead:

  1. Points in matches between the tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in matches between the tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in matches between the tied teams;
  4. If after applying all criteria above, two teams were still tied, the above criteria were again applied to matches played between the two teams in question. If this did not resolve the tie, the next three criteria were applied;
  5. Goal difference in all group matches;
  6. Goals scored in all group matches;
  7. Drawing of lots.

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg  Guinea-Bissau 321072+57 Semi-finals
2Flag of Mali.svg  Mali (H)312093+65
3Flag of The Gambia.svg  Gambia 311164+24
4Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia 3003114−130
Source: WAFU A
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Mali  Flag of Mali.svg6–0Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia
Gambia  Flag of The Gambia.svg0–2Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg  Guinea-Bissau
Liberia  Flag of Liberia.svg0–4Flag of The Gambia.svg  Gambia
Guinea-Bissau  Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg1–1Flag of Mali.svg  Mali
Mali  Flag of Mali.svg2–2Flag of The Gambia.svg  Gambia
Guinea-Bissau  Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg4–1Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea 321052+37 Semi-finals
2Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal 312021+15
3Flag of Mauritania.svg  Mauritania 310225−33
4Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  Sierra Leone 301223−11
Source: WAFU A
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Senegal  Flag of Senegal.svg0–0Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  Sierra Leone
Mauritania  Flag of Mauritania.svg0–1Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea
Sierra Leone  Flag of Sierra Leone.svg1–2Flag of Mauritania.svg  Mauritania
Guinea  Flag of Guinea.svg1–1Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal
Senegal  Flag of Senegal.svg1–0Flag of Mauritania.svg  Mauritania
Guinea  Flag of Guinea.svg3–1Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  Sierra Leone

Knockout stage

Bracket

 
 Semi-finals Final
 
      
 
15 October – Bamako
 
 
Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg  Guinea-Bissau 0
 
18 October – Bamako
 
Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal 4
 
Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal
 
15 October – Bamako
 
Flag of Mali.svg  Mali
 
Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea 1
 
 
Flag of Mali.svg  Mali 2
 
 Third place
 
 
18 October – Bamako
 
 
Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg  Guinea-Bissau
 
 
Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea

Semi-finals

Winners qualified for 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Guinea-Bissau  Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg0–4Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal
Guinea  Flag of Guinea.svg1–2Flag of Mali.svg  Mali

Third place play-off

Guinea-Bissau  Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svgvFlag of Guinea.svg  Guinea

Final

Senegal  Flag of Senegal.svgvFlag of Mali.svg  Mali

West B Zone

The WAFU-UFOA Zone B qualifiers for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations will be hosted by Ivory Coast with the matches played between 20 September and 3 October 2025, the draw was announced on 4 September 2025. [3]

All times are local, GMT (UTC±0).

Group stage

The seven teams were drawn into two groups of three and four teams. The winners and the runners-up of each group advanced to the semi-finals.

Tiebreakers

Teams were ranked according to the three points for a win system (3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if two teams were tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings (Regulations Article 13): [2]

  1. Points in head-to-head matches match between the two tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in all group matches;
  3. Goals scored in all group matches;
  4. Drawing of lots.

If more than two teams were tied, the following criteria were applied instead:

  1. Points in matches between the tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in matches between the tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in matches between the tied teams;
  4. If after applying all criteria above, two teams were still tied, the above criteria were again applied to matches played between the two teams in question. If this did not resolve the tie, the next three criteria were applied;
  5. Goal difference in all group matches;
  6. Goals scored in all group matches;
  7. Drawing of lots.

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast (H)321061+57 Semi-finals
2Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 311145−14
3Flag of Niger.svg  Niger 310246−23
4Flag of Togo (3-2).svg  Togo 302135−22
Source: WAFU
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Ivory Coast  Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg2–0Flag of Niger.svg  Niger
Togo  Flag of Togo (3-2).svg1–1Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana
Niger  Flag of Niger.svg3–1Flag of Togo (3-2).svg  Togo
Stade Lycée Scientifique, Yamoussoukro
Ghana  Flag of Ghana.svg0–3Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast  Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg1–1Flag of Togo (3-2).svg  Togo
Stade Lycée Scientifique, Yamoussoukro
Ghana  Flag of Ghana.svg3–1Flag of Niger.svg  Niger

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 211041+34 Semi-finals
2Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso 211010+14
3Flag of Benin.svg  Benin 200215−40
Source: WAFU
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Burkina Faso  Flag of Burkina Faso.svg1–0Flag of Benin.svg  Benin
Stade Lycée Scientifique, Yamoussoukro
Benin  Flag of Benin.svg1–4Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria
Stade Lycée Scientifique, Yamoussoukro
Nigeria  Flag of Nigeria.svg0–0Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso
Stade Lycée Scientifique, Yamoussoukro

Knockout stage

Bracket

 
 Semi-finals Final
 
      
 
30 September – Yamoussoukro
 
 
Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast 2
 
3 October – Yamoussoukro
 
Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso 1
 
Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast (p)0 (4)
 
30 September – Yamoussoukro
 
Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 0 (3)
 
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 0
 
 
Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 2
 
 Third place
 
 
3 October – Stade Lycée Scientifique
 
 
Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso 0
 
 
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 2

Semi-finals

Winners qualified for 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ivory Coast  Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg2–1Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso
Nigeria  Flag of Nigeria.svg0–2Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana

Third place play-off

Burkina Faso  Flag of Burkina Faso.svg0–2Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria
Stade Lycée Scientifique, Yamoussoukro

Final

Ivory Coast  Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg0–0Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana
Penalties
4–3

Central Zone

Central-East Zone

South Zone

The COSAFA qualifiers for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations were held in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 11 to 20 September 2024. The draw for the groups took place on 5 August 2025.

The qualification structure was as follows:

Group stage

Group A
PosTeam
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique 321050+57 Semi-finals
2Flag of the Comoros.svg  Comoros 321062+47
3Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe (H)301224−21
4Flag of Eswatini.svg  Eswatini 301207−71
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts

Group B
PosTeam
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 3300132+119 Semi-finals
2Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi 32016606
3Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia 310267−13
4Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar 3003313−100
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

Group C
PosTeam
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Angola.svg  Angola 3300170+179 Semi-finals
2Flag of Lesotho.svg  Lesotho 311137−44
3Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana 302116−52
4Flag of Mauritius.svg  Mauritius 3012311−81
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

Knockout stage

 
 Semi-finals Final
 
      
 
18 September – Ngoni Mwos Stadium
 
 
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 7
 
20 September – Ngoni Mwos Stadium
 
Flag of the Comoros.svg  Comoros 0
 
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 2
 
18 September – Ngoni Mwos Stadium
 
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola 1
 
Flag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique 0
 
 
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola 1
 
 Third place
 
 
20 September – Ngoni Mwos Stadium
 
 
Flag of the Comoros.svg  Comoros 0
 
 
Flag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique 3

Goalscorers

There have been 79 goals scored in 22 matches, for an average of 3.59 goals per match (as of 22 September 2025).

8 goals

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

See also

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ "CAF Executive Committee approves 2025 Competition Calendar and TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Final Draw Date". 16 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
    2. 1 2 "U-17 AFCON Regulations" (PDF). Retrieved 21 February 2025.
    3. ↑ "Nigeria face tough defence as Burkina Faso lie in wait at U17 WAFU B AFCON qualifiers". 23 April 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
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