The draw for the 2026 CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has set up several high-profile group-stage clashes, as teams across the continent prepare for the youth tournament in Morocco.
Defending champions Morocco headline Group A, where they will face North African rivals Tunisia and Egypt, alongside Ethiopia.
The hosts will be aiming to retain their title on home soil, but face stiff competition in what appears to be one of the tournament’s most balanced groups.
Runners-up from the previous edition, Mali, have been placed in Group C alongside Angola, Tanzania and Mozambique.
The West African side will be looking to go one step further this time, having narrowly missed out on the title in the last tournament.
Group D has drawn significant attention, with Senegal, South Africa, Ghana and Algeria set to battle for qualification.
The presence of multiple traditional footballing nations makes this group one of the most competitive in the tournament.
Group B will see Côte d’Ivoire take on Cameroon, Uganda and DR Congo in another tightly contested pool.
The competition, scheduled to run from 13 May to 2 June 2026, will feature 16 teams representing different regions of African football.
It serves not only as a platform to crown the continent’s best youth team, but also as a key pathway to the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026.
Qualification for the global tournament is a major incentive.
All eight teams that reach the quarter-finals will automatically secure their places, while two additional slots will be decided through play-offs involving the best third-placed teams.
Among the teams returning to the continental stage are Ghana’s Black Starlets, who are making their comeback after several years away.
Their last appearance at the global level came in 2017, when they reached the quarter-finals in India.
Now under the guidance of Prosper Narteh Ogum, the team has been in camp since the beginning of the year preparing for the challenge ahead.
Ghana qualified for the tournament after finishing second at the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship in Côte d’Ivoire, marking a significant return to the continental competition.
The U-17 Africa Cup of Nations has long been regarded as a breeding ground for future stars.
Many of Africa’s top players have emerged through this competition, making it a crucial stage in the development of young talent.
With the groups now confirmed, attention turns to the tournament itself, where emerging players will look to make their mark, represent their countries with pride, and potentially secure a place on the global stage.
