Draw Ceremony to Set Stage for Continental Tournament
The Confédération Africaine de Football has confirmed the participation of three prominent African players in the Final Draw for the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place in Cairo on Wednesday.
The ceremony will be held at the organisation’s headquarters at 14:00 local time (12:00 GMT) and will be broadcast live on CAF TV, marking a key milestone in the build-up to the continental youth tournament.
High-Profile Players to Take Part
Among those selected to assist with the draw are Fiston Mayele, Aliou Dieng and Ahmed Belhadji.
Mayele arrives at the event following a standout season in which he finished as the top scorer in the CAF Champions League 2024/25, playing a decisive role in guiding Pyramids FC to their first continental title.
Dieng, a consistent presence in midfield for both club and country, continues to be regarded as one of Mali’s most reliable performers. Despite spending the previous campaign on loan in Saudi Arabia, his influence within the national team setup remains significant.
Belhadji, meanwhile, has established himself as an important figure at Ceramica Cleopatra FC, contributing consistently in midfield. His experience also includes spells with several Egyptian clubs, notably Zamalek SC.
Tournament Format and Qualification Path
The draw will determine the group-stage composition for the 16 qualified teams, which will be divided into four groups of four. The top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout rounds.
In addition to advancing in the tournament, the eight teams that reach the quarter-finals will automatically secure qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026.
Further opportunities remain for teams finishing third in their groups, with play-off matches set to decide the final two African representatives at the global competition.
Qualified Teams Represent All Regions
The tournament will feature a diverse range of teams representing Africa’s regional zones. Hosts Morocco will be joined by Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda from the CECAFA region.
From COSAFA, Angola, Mozambique and South Africa have qualified, while Senegal and Mali represent WAFU A. Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana will compete from WAFU B, with Cameroon and DR Congo qualifying via UNIFFAC.
Completing the line-up are Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia from the UNAF region.
Anticipation Builds Ahead of Draw
With the draw set to define the path to continental success, anticipation is building among participating nations as they await confirmation of their group-stage opponents.
The involvement of leading African players in the ceremony adds further prominence to the event, which marks the formal beginning of the journey towards the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026.
