The Confederation of African Football has unveiled the group stage draw for the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place from May 13 to June 2 in Morocco.
The draw was conducted on Wednesday at CAF headquarters in Cairo and later made public via the organisation’s official platforms.
Host nation Morocco will headline Group A in a competitive North African lineup that includes Tunisia, Egypt, and Ethiopia, with only the top two teams advancing to the quarter-finals.
Group B features former champions Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon, who will compete against Uganda and debutants DR Congo.
In Group C, Mali—champions in 2015 and 2017 and runners-up in the last edition—will face Angola, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Meanwhile, defending champions Senegal top Group D, where they will battle South Africa, Algeria, and Ghana.
The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, with the eight quarter-finalists earning automatic qualification. The four third-placed teams will compete in play-offs for the remaining two African slots, bringing the continent’s total representation to ten teams.
Nigeria will not feature in the competition for the second consecutive edition, following the Golden Eaglets’ 2-0 defeat to Ghana in the semi-finals of the WAFU Zone B qualifiers in September 2025.
“Sir Bartholomew White Ebe is a Lagos-based media personality, Music Artist, Producer, and a Relationship Coach and independent journalist. With over seven years of experience tracking political developments and cultural shifts in Nigeria, he specializes in local current affairs, grassroots politics, and community-driven reporting across Lagos State. As the founder and chief editor of Snow Multimedia Connect {SNOW TV}, he leads the editorial team to deliver verified, high-impact stories to digital audiences.”
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