North African Rivals Set for Fiery Clash at CAF U-17 AFCON Morocco 2026 Draw
The stage is set for a thrilling youth football spectacle following the official draw for the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, with hosts Morocco handed a challenging Group A alongside regional rivals Tunisia, Egypt and Ethiopia.
The tournament, scheduled to run from May 13 to June 2, 2026, will be hosted at the state-of-the-art Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat. The draw ceremony, held at the headquarters of the Confederation of African Football in Cairo, brought together some of the continent’s notable stars, including Fiston Mayele, Aliou Dieng and Ahmed Belhadji, who assisted with the proceedings.
Group A is widely tipped as one of the most competitive pools, echoing the intensity of the recent UNAF qualifiers in Libya, where Morocco emerged victorious. With only the top two teams advancing to the quarter-finals, the North African derby promises high stakes and fierce competition from the opening whistle.
Elsewhere, Group B sees former champions Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon battle it out with Uganda and tournament debutants DR Congo. Cameroon, champions as recently as 2019, will be eager to reassert their dominance, while the Ivorians aim to relive their 2013 glory.
In Group C, last year’s runners-up Mali headline a diverse group featuring Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania. Mali’s pedigree, having won the title in 2015 and 2017, makes them early favourites to progress.
Defending champions Senegal will lead the charge in Group D, where they face a formidable lineup including South Africa, Algeria and two-time winners Ghana. The group is expected to deliver intense matchups, with Ghana looking to add to their historic titles from 1995 and 1999.
Beyond continental glory, the stakes are even higher this year, as the eight quarter-finalists will automatically secure qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Teams finishing third in their groups will also have a second chance through playoff matches to determine the final two African representatives.
With ten African nations set to feature on the global stage, the 2026 edition of the U-17 AFCON promises not only fierce rivalries but also a showcase of the continent’s next generation of football stars.
