- CAF Unveils Groups For 2026 U-17 AFCON In Morocco
- Top eight teams will qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup.
- Nigeria failed to qualify after losing to Ghana in qualifiers.
The Confederation of African Football has released the group stage draw for the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to hold from May 13 to June 2 in Morocco.
The draw ceremony took place at CAF headquarters in Cairo on Wednesday and was subsequently published on the organisation’s official platforms.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that host nation Morocco headline Group A, which features a strong North African lineup including Tunisia, Egypt and Ethiopia. Only the top two teams from each group will progress to the quarter-finals, setting up a competitive opening phase.
Group B will see former champions Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon face Uganda and tournament debutants DR Congo in what is expected to be a closely contested group.
In Group C, Mali, winners in 2015 and 2017 and runners-up in the last edition, have been drawn alongside Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania.
Defending champions Senegal lead Group D, where they will compete against South Africa, Algeria and Ghana.
The tournament also serves as a qualification pathway to the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. The eight teams that reach the quarter-finals will automatically secure tickets to the global competition.
The four third-placed teams will compete in additional play-off matches to determine the final two qualification slots, bringing Africa’s total representation to ten teams.
Nigeria will miss the tournament for the second consecutive edition. The Golden Eaglets failed to qualify after losing 2-0 to Ghana in the semi-finals of the WAFU Zone B qualifiers in September 2025.
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