U-17 AFCON
Goal rain floods U-17 African Cup quarter finals
It was a shower of rain at the U-17 African Cup of Nations on Wednesday night.
The two quarter finals of the day produced eight goals. It began with Morocco beating their arch rivals and hosts, Algeria, 3-0.
Senegal followed up with a 5-0 pummelling of South Africa.
Both Morocco and Senegal have therefore picked U17 World Cup tickets. Two more are at stake this Thursday night.
In the Algeria – Morocco match, Zakaria Ouazane scored a goal in either half and Adam Chakir adding a late third at a stunning a fully packed Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui in Constantine.
In the case of Senegal, a pair of first half own goals by each of South Africa’s central defenders followed up by Mamadou Sadio’s goal and skipper Amara Diouf’s brace saw the Teranga Cubs continue with their impressive performance in the competition.
This is the first time ever that Senegal have progressed beyond the group stages of the U17 AFCON. They have also qualified for the World Cup for the second time in their history, having done so in 2019.
Senegal scored three goals in seven minutes late in the first half to completely break down a spirited fight from South Africa.
Waylon Renecke was unfortunate to turn the ball into his own net in the 36th minute as he tried to cut out a headed ball just inside the six yard box.
Three minutes later, his central defense partner, skipper Benjamin Wallis, also put the ball into his own net as he tried to clear out after the keeper had spilled a freekick from Diouf.
Senegal made it 3-0 in the 43rd minute when Sadio scored with a brilliant half volley from the edge of the box after Abdou Aziz Fall had teed up the ball for him.
With a 3-0 cushion at halftime and a complete dominance that had seen South Africa fail to land a ball on target, the West Africans had the job half done.
In the second half, they needed just nine minutes to get their fourth, though it had to be given by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) which was being used at the tournament for the first time.
A run by Omar Sall on the left caught the South African backline off balance, the latter squaring for Diouf to slam home from inside the box. He had initially been flagged offside, but upon review, the VAR gave the goal.
In the 71st minute, Diouf who had enjoyed a brilliant performance capped it off with a brace when he headed home at the backpost after a brilliant cross from Ibrahima Diallo found his perfect run.
With a 5-0 cushion, South Africa’s fighting spirit was hugely dented, and Senegal eased through the remaining minutes with utter dominance to seal their place in the last four.
Defending champions Morocco will launch the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations against Tunisia when the tournament kicks off next Wednesday, May 13, at the Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
The North African nation will host the continental cadet championship for the second consecutive edition, with the competition running from May 13 to June 2 across two major venues in Rabat and Maâmoura.
Having lifted the title on home soil in the previous edition, Morocco’s Atlas Cubs head into the tournament seeking to reaffirm their dominance in African youth football.
The opening fixture against Tunisia is expected to set the tone for a competition that also serves as qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Morocco’s emergence as a powerhouse in youth football has been linked to the long-term development strategy of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), whose investment in talent development and infrastructure has continued to yield results across different age categories.
Beyond the football itself, the tournament further strengthens Morocco’s status as a major destination for continental and global sporting events.
The country, which will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, has increasingly positioned itself as a hub for African football development and elite competition.
The hosting of the U-17 AFCON comes amid a packed sporting calendar for Morocco, with the 2026 Women’s AFCON, the 2026 Futsal AFCON and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup also scheduled to take place in the Kingdom.
Matches will be split between the Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat and the state-of-the-art Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maâmoura. While the Mohammed VI Complex will host the group-stage fixtures, the Rabat stadium will stage the opening match, both semi-finals and the final on June 2.
The Mohammed VI Football Complex, regarded as one of Africa’s finest football facilities, has become a symbol of Morocco’s heavy investment in sports infrastructure and youth development.
The tournament will provide Africa’s best young talents with a crucial platform to compete for qualification spots to the FIFA U-17 World Cup, while also offering international exposure for the continent’s next generation of stars.
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African football’s next generation of stars will take centre stage on Wednesday as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducts the Final Draw for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2026, in Cairo.
The ceremony, scheduled for 14:00 local time (12:00 GMT) at CAF headquarters, will feature some of the continent’s established stars, including Fiston Mayele, Aliou Dieng and Ahmed Belhadji, who are expected to lend glamour to the event.
However, the absence of Nigeria—five-time world champions at this level—casts a long shadow over the tournament, with the Golden Eaglets notably missing from the 16-team lineup. Nigeria’s failure to qualify marks a significant setback for one of Africa’s most successful youth football programmes, renowned for producing global stars and setting benchmarks at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The 2026 edition, to be hosted by Morocco, will bring together 16 teams drawn from across CAF’s zonal unions. Representing the CECAFA region are Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda, while Angola, Mozambique and South Africa fly the COSAFA flag.
From WAFU Zone A come Senegal and Mali, with Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana representing WAFU Zone B. Cameroon and DR Congo qualified from UNIFFAC, while Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia complete the lineup from UNAF, joining hosts Morocco.
The expanded format underscores CAF’s renewed commitment to youth development, offering increased opportunities for emerging talents to gain continental exposure. Beyond the quest for the African title, the stakes are even higher, as the tournament doubles as a qualification pathway to the FIFA U-17 World Cup later this year.
Africa will have 10 slots at the global tournament. The eight quarter-finalists will qualify automatically, while the remaining two tickets will be decided through play-off matches involving the four third-placed teams from the group stage.
For many of the participating nations, Morocco 2026 represents a crucial platform to showcase their next wave of stars. Yet, for Nigeria, the competition will unfold from the sidelines—a rare and sobering development for a country long regarded as a powerhouse of youth football on the continent.
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In one of the most astonishing scorelines in FIFA U-17 World Cup history, Morocco demolished New Caledonia 16-0 to set a new tournament record and keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
The Atlas Cubs’ breathtaking display in their final Group B match surpassed Spain’s 13-0 victory over New Zealand — a record that had stood for years — as they relentlessly piled on the goals from start to finish.
New Caledonia’s night turned disastrous early on when Typhan Dreuko and Jean Canehmez were both shown red cards in the first half, leaving the Oceania side with nine men for over an hour. Morocco capitalized mercilessly, turning the match into a goal festival.
Soukrat opened the scoring in the third minute before Oualid Ibn Salah (11’, 18’), Abdelali Eddaoudi (41’, 42’), Hidaoui (44’), Ziyad Baha (45+2’, 50’), El Khalfioui (48’), Nahel Haddani (56’, 59’), Abdellah Ouazane (73’, 90+2’), and Ismail El Aoud (80’, 90’) all found the net. Steevy compounded New Caledonia’s misery with an own goal in the 76th minute.
The result lifted Morocco to third place in Group B, behind Japan and Portugal. They now await confirmation of whether they will progress as one of the best third-placed teams.
Midfielder Abdelali Eddaoudi, who bagged a first-half brace and orchestrated Morocco’s attacking rhythm, was deservedly named Player of the Match.
The emphatic win not only restored Morocco’s confidence after earlier setbacks but also underlined Africa’s growing presence in youth football on the global stage.
With their record-breaking triumph, the Atlas Cubs have etched their names into FIFA U-17 World Cup history — a night of goals that will be remembered for generations.
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