The redraw for the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Cairo on Sunday has placed Sierra Leone in Group A alongside host Egypt, Zambia, South Africa, and Tanzania.
Sierra Leone will begin their AFCON U20 campaign against Zambia on April 27, followed by a match against host Egypt on the 30th.
Sierra Leone was originally placed in Group C, alongside Senegal, Kenya, and Zambia. However, the initial draw for Ivory Coast has been cancelled because the former host has decided to withdraw at the last minute.
The Shooting Stars from Sierra Leone are preparing to compete against hosts Egypt, Zambia, South Africa as well as Tanzania. This championship is scheduled to take place from April 27 to May 18, 2025. Thirteen teams will compete in the tournament.
Group B has Nigeria, Tunisia, Kenya and Morocco while Group C comprises Senegal, Central Africa Republic, Congo DR and Ghana.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, along with the two best third-placed teams.
The four highest-performing teams will qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, which will take place from September 27 to October 19.
Kenya will represent the CECAFA region with Tanzania, as both teams reached the qualifiers final in Dar es Salaam last October. Tanzania won that match 2-1, but both teams qualified for the tournament.
