U-17 Africa Cup of Nations

U-17 Africa Cup of Nations

Organising body	CAF
Founded	1995
Region	Africa
Number of teams	16
Current champions	Senegal (1st title)
Most successful team(s)	Cameroon   Gambia   Ghana   Mali   Nigeria (2 titles each)
Website	Official website
2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations

The U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, known as the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship purposes, is a biennial youth association football competition organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for its nations consisting of players under the age of 17. It serves as the African qualification tournament for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

History

In 1985, FIFA created a World Cup tournament for players under 17 years of age, but CAF organized a knock-out home-and-away qualification competition so as to qualify participants there. In 1995, CAF upgraded the competition into a full standalone competition hosted by a country and named it the African U-17 Championship. On 6 August 2015, the CAF Executive Committee decided to change the tournament's name to the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations. The tournament's name on its official logo after the announcement was however depicted as the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in line with the senior version, the Africa Cup of Nations. ^[1]

On 21 July 2016, French energy and petroleum giant TotalEnergies (formerly Total S.A) secured an 8-year sponsorship package from CAF to support its competitions. ^{[2] [3]}

Beginning with the 2023 edition, the tournament will be contested by 12 teams. It would have been in effect from the 2021 edition, but that was cancelled by CAF due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa and its impact. ^{[4] [5]}

Results

African U-16 Qualifying for World Cup

Edition	Year	Host		Qualifier teams
				Winner	Winner	Winner
1	1985	Home sites		Congo	Guinea	Nigeria
2	1987	Home sites		Ivory Coast	Egypt	Nigeria
3	1989	Home sites		Nigeria	Ghana	Guinea

African U-17 Qualifying for World Cup

Edition	Year	Host		Qualifier teams
				Winner	Winner	Winner
4	1991	Home sites		Ghana	Congo	Sudan
5	1993	Home sites		Ghana	Nigeria	Tunisia

African U-17 Championship

Edition	Year	Host		Final				Third Place Match
				Winner	Score	Runner-up		Third Place	Score	Fourth Place
6	1995	Mali		Ghana	3–1( a.e.t. )	Nigeria		Guinea	2–1( a.e.t. )	Mali
7	1997	Botswana		Egypt	1–0	Mali		Ghana	1–0	Ethiopia
8	1999	Guinea		Ghana	3–1	Burkina Faso		Mali	1–0	Cameroon
9	2001	Seychelles		Nigeria	3–0	Burkina Faso		Mali	–	Vacant [a]
10	2003	Swaziland		Cameroon	1–0( a.e.t. )	Sierra Leone		Nigeria	3–1	Egypt
11	2005	Gambia		Gambia	1–0	Ghana		Ivory Coast	1–0	South Africa
12	2007	Togo		Nigeria	1–0( a.e.t. )	Togo		Ghana	1–0	Tunisia
13	2009	Algeria		Gambia	3–1	Algeria		Burkina Faso	2–0	Malawi
14	2011	Rwanda		Burkina Faso	2–1	Rwanda		Congo	2–1	Ivory Coast
15	2013	Morocco		Ivory Coast	1–1 (5–4 p)	Nigeria		Tunisia	1–1( a.e.t. ) (11–10 p)	Morocco
16	2015	Niger		Mali	2–0	South Africa		Guinea	3–1	Nigeria

U-17 Africa Cup of Nations

Edition	Year	Host		Final				Third Place Match
				Winner	Score	Runner-up		Third Place	Score	Fourth Place
17	2017	Gabon [7] [8] [b]		Mali	1–0	Ghana		Guinea	3–1	Niger
18	2019	Tanzania [9]		Cameroon	0–0 (5–3 p)	Guinea		Angola	2–1	Nigeria
—	2021	Morocco [10]		Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa				Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
19	2023	Algeria [11] [12]		Senegal	2–1	Morocco		Burkina Faso	2–1	Mali
20	2025	Morocco		Future event				Future event

Total wins

Team	Champions	Runners-up	Third-place	Fourth-place
Ghana	2 (1995, 1999)	2 (2005, 2017)	2 (1997, 2007)	–
Nigeria	2 (2001, 2007)	2 (1995, 2013)	1 (2003)	2 (2015, 2019)
Mali	2 (2015, 2017)	1 (1997)	2 (1999, 2001)	2 (1995*, 2023)
Cameroon	2 (2003, 2019)	–	–	1 (1999)
Gambia	2 (2005*, 2009)	–	–	–
Burkina Faso	1 (2011)	2 (1999, 2001)	2 (2009, 2023)	–
Ivory Coast	1 (2013)	–	1 (2005)	1 (2011)
Egypt	1 (1997)	–	–	1 (2003)
Senegal	1 (2023)	–	–	–
Guinea	–	1 (2019)	3 (1995, 2015, 2017)	–
South Africa	–	1 (2015)	–	1 (2005)
Morocco	–	1 (2023)	–	1 (2013*)
Sierra Leone	–	1 (2003)	–	–
Togo	–	1 (2007*)	–	–
Algeria	–	1 (2009*)	–	–
Rwanda	–	1 (2011*)	–	–
Tunisia	–	–	1 (2013)	1 (2007)
Congo	–	–	1 (2011)	–
Angola	–	–	1 (2019)	–
Ethiopia	–	–	–	1 (1997)
Malawi	–	–	–	1 (2009)
Niger	–	–	–	1 (2017)

* = As hosts

Note: no 4th-place finish in 2001 due to Guinea's disqualification. ^[6]

Participating nations

Team	1995	1997	1999	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2023	2025	Years
Algeria	•	•	•	×	•	×	•	2nd	•	•	×	•	•	QF	•	2
Angola	•	GS	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	3rd	×		4
Botswana	GS	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	×	GS	•	•	•	•	•	3
Burkina Faso	×	•	2nd	2nd	•	GS	GS	3rd	1st	•	•	•	•	3rd	q	8
Cameroon	×	×	4th	GS	1st	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	GS	1st	GS		8
Congo	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	3rd	GS	•		•	QF		3
Egypt	•	1st	•	×	4th	×	•	×	GS	×	•	•	×	•	q	4
Eritrea	×	×	×	•	•	•	GS	•	×	×	×	×	×	×		1
Eswatini	×	×	•	•	GS	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	1
Ethiopia	×	4th	•	GS	GS	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•		3
Gabon	×	×	•	×	•	×	GS	•	•	GS	•	GS	×	×		3
Gambia	×	×	×	•	GS	1st	•	1st	GS	•	•	×	•	×	•	4
Ghana	1st	3rd	1st	•	•	2nd	3rd	•	•	GS		2nd	•	•	•	7
Guinea	3rd	•	GS		GS	•	•	GS	•	•	3rd	3rd	2nd	×	×	7
Ivory Coast	•	GS	•	×	•	3rd	•	•	4th	1st	GS	•	•	•	q	6
Malawi	•	×	•	•	•	×	•	4th	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	1
Mali	4th	2nd	3rd	3rd	•	GS	•	•	GS	•	1st	1st	•	4th	q	10
Morocco	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	×	•	4th	•	•	GS	2nd	q	4
Mozambique	GS	×	×	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2
Niger	×	×	×	×	×	×	×		×	•	GS	4th	•	•	•	2
Nigeria	2nd	•	GS	1st	3rd	GS	1st	•	•	2nd	4th	•	4th	QF	•	10
Rwanda	×	×	×	•	×	•	•	•	2nd	•	•	×	•	×		1
Senegal	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	×	GS	•	•	•	GS	1st	q	4
Seychelles	×	×	×	GS	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	1
Sierra Leone	•	•	×	•	2nd	•	×	•	•	×	×	×	•	•	•	1
Somalia														GS		1
South Africa	•	•	•	•	•	4th	GS	•	•	•	2nd	•	•	QF		4
South Sudan	Country didn't exist: part of Sudan									×	×	×	•			0
Sudan	GS	×	×	•	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	×		1
Tanzania	•	×	×	•	•		×	×	×	•	•	GS	GS	•		2
Togo	•	×	•	×	×	×	2nd	×	×	×	•	×	•	•	•	1
Tunisia	GS	•	•	•	•	•	4th	•	•	3rd	•	•	•	•	•	3
Uganda	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	GS	•		1
Zambia		×	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	GS		2
Zimbabwe	•	GS	GS	•	•	GS	•	GS	×	×	×	×	•	×		4

Legend

• 1st – Champions
• 2nd – Runners-up
• 3rd – Third place
• 4th – Fourth place
• GS – Group stage
• q – Qualified for upcoming tournament edition
•    — Hosts
•  ×  – Did not enter
•  •  – Did not qualify
•  ×  – Withdrew before qualification/Banned
•   — Withdrew after qualification
•   — Disqualified after qualification

FIFA U-17 World Cup qualifications

Legend

• 1st – Champions
• 2nd – Runners-up
• 3rd – Third place
• 4th – Fourth place
• QF – Quarterfinals
• R2 – Round 2
• R1 – Round 1
•      – Hosts
• q – Qualified for upcoming tournament

Team	1985	1987	1989	1991	1993	1995	1997	1999	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2023	2025	Total
Algeria													R1								1
Angola																		R2			1
Burkina Faso								R1	3rd				R2	R1					R1		5
Cameroon										R1								R1			2
Congo	R1			R1										R2							3
Egypt		R1					QF														2
Gambia											R1		R1								2
Ghana			R1	1st	2nd	1st	2nd	3rd			R1	4th					QF				9
Guinea	4th		R1			R1										R1	R1				5
Ivory Coast		3rd									R1			R2	QF						4
Malawi													R1								1
Mali							QF	R1	QF							2nd	4th		3rd		6
Morocco															R2				QF		2
Niger																	R2				1
Nigeria	1st	2nd	QF		1st	QF			2nd	R1		1st	2nd		1st	1st		R2			12
Rwanda														R1							1
Senegal																		R2	R2		2
Sierra Leone										R1											1
South Africa																R1					1
Sudan				R1																	1
Togo												R1									1
Tunisia					R1							R2			R2						3

See also

• Africa Cup of Nations
• U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
• U-20 Africa Cup of Nations
• FIFA U-17 World Cup

Notes

1. The 4th place was declared vacant after Guinea were disqualified following the suspension of its football association by FIFA due to government interference. ^[6]
2. Originally set to be hosted by Madagascar. ^[8]

References

1. "Decisions of CAF Executive Committee on 6 August 2015". CAFOnline.com . 9 August 2015. Archived from the original on 15 September 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
2. "Total, Title Sponsor of the Africa Cup of Nations and Partner of African Football". CAFOnline.com . 21 July 2016. Archived from the original on 20 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
3. "Total to sponsor CAF competitions for the next eight years". africanews . 21 July 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
4. "CAF Holds Executive Committee Meeting ahead of CAN Total U-23 Final". CAFOnline.com . 21 November 2019. Archived from the original on 22 November 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019. New formats for youth and women's competitions based on 12 teams were approved.
5. "2021 Total U17 Africa Cup of Nations cancelled". CAFOnline.com . 8 March 2021. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
6. "FIFA Media Advisory on the Suspension of the Guinean Football Association". FIFA . Zürich, Switzerland. 19 March 2001. Archived from the original on 31 March 2001. Retrieved 23 June 2002.
7. "Gabon new host of 2017 AFCON U-17". CAFOnline.com . 4 February 2017. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
8. Okinyo, Collins (3 February 2017). "Gabon new host for U17 Championship". SuperSport . Archived from the original on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
9. "CAF Executive Committee decisions of 26 May 2015". CAFOnline.com . 27 May 2015. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2022. Furthermore, the CAF Executive Committee ruled favourably on the request of the Tanzanian Football Association to host the 2019 African U-17 Championship...
10. "Decisions of CAF Executive Commitee [sic] - 27 & 28 September 2018". CAFOnline.com . 29 September 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2022. Total U-17 AFCON 2021 : Morocco
11. "🟧 CAF Executive Committee Media Statement". CAFOnline.com . 15 May 2021. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2022. TOTAL CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations 2023: Algeria
12. "L'Algérie organisera l'édition 2023" [Foot / CAN U17: Algeria will organize the 2023 edition]. Le Soir d'Algerie (in French). 15 May 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2022.

External links

• Official website
• Tournament records and statistics at RSSSF