A North African showdown is on the horizon at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026.
The host nation, Morocco, has been drawn into Group A alongside Tunisia, Egypt, and Ethiopia for the finals, which will take place from May 13 to June 2, 2026, at the Mohammed VI Complex in Rabat.
The Final Draw was held at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday, featuring current African stars like Fiston Mayele (Pyramids FC and DR Congo), Aliou Dieng (Al Ahly and Mali), and Ahmed Belhadji (Ceramica Cleopatra and Morocco), who helped kick off the event.
With only the top two teams from each group moving on to the quarter-finals, this competitive group echoes the recent UNAF qualifiers in Libya, which Morocco won.
In Group B, former champions Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon will square off against Uganda and debutants DR Congo. Two-time winners Cameroon claimed the title as recently as 2019, while Côte d’Ivoire celebrated their triumph in 2013.
Meanwhile, last year’s runners-up, Mali, find themselves in Group C, where they will face Southern African nations Angola and Mozambique, along with East African side Tanzania. Mali previously lifted the trophy in 2015 and 2017.
Finally, Group D features the reigning champions, Senegal, who will take on the 2015 silver medalists, South Africa, Algeria, and two-time winners Ghana. Ghana enjoyed success as champions in 1995 and 1999.
The eight teams that reach the quarter-finals will automatically qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup, set to be hosted in Qatar later that year. Additionally, the third-placed teams in each group will compete in two playoff matches to determine the final two qualifiers.
Ten African nations will again be present at the global finals.
TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026:
GROUP A: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia
Groupe B: Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroun, Ouganda, RDC
GROUP C: Mali, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique
GROUP D: Senegal, South Africa, Algeria, Ghana
