U-17 AFCON
CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off with Morocco-Uganda opener
Hosts Morocco will be up against East African opponents for the first time at the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) when they clash with Uganda in the opening game of the tournament on Sunday (kick-off 22h00 local time / GMT).
It will be a CECAFA double for the Moroccans on home soil as they face Tanzania in their final pool game too.
Uganda are making their second appearance at the finals in its current guise and will also face North African opposition for the first time, and on the second occasion, they will face the tournament hosts.
In their debut appearance in 2019, they met hosts Tanzania in their second game in Group A, a match they won 3-0 in Dar es Salaam.
Morocco becomes the fourth different nation that Uganda will face at the finals, they have previously met Angola, Nigeria and Tanzania.
The record of the host nation in their first game at the finals reads P14 W6 D1 L7.
The first five hosts between 1995 and 2003, Mali, Botswana, Guinea, Seychelles and Eswatini failed to win their opening game (D1 L4). In this time only Guinea, who drew with Cameroon in their opening game in 1999, avoided defeat.
Gambia were the first hosts to win their opening game, doing so with a 1-0 victory against Burkina Faso.
Thereafter, the next four tournament hosts, Togo in 2007, Algeria in 2009, Rwanda in 2011 and Morocco in 2013, won their opening game.
The biggest loss for a tournament host in their opening game was a 5-0 defeat for Seychelles in 2001 against Cameroon.
In four successive finals between 2005 and 2011, the hosts reached the final. In this run, only Gambia (2005) managed to win the tournament.
MOROCCO FACTS
· Morocco are making their fourth appearance at the finals along with 2013, 2019 and 2023.
· They will be hosting the tournament for a second time after 2013.
· Morocco will be aiming to become the second tournament host after Gambia in 2005 to win on home soil.
· In their debut tournament as hosts in 2013, Morocco ended fourth. In their next appearance in 2019 they were eliminated in the group stages.
· Morocco ended as runners-up at the last edition in Algeria in 2023, losing to Senegal in the final. That was their best showing at the finals.
· Morocco’s record in their opening group game at the finals reads P3 W2 D1 L0.
· Morocco have scored seven goals across their three opening games at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON. They have conceded two goals.
· Overall, Morocco’s group stage record at the CAF U-17 AFCON finals reads P9 W4 D2 L3.
· Morocco’s three biggest wins at the finals have all been by a three-goal margin, two of which came in the 2013 group stages, a 4-1 win over Gabon in their opening game and a 3-0 win over Botswana in their second group game. They also managed a 3-0 win against hosts Algeria in the quarterfinals in 2023.
· Morocco are coached by former Atlas Lions International Nabil Baha, who was appointed at their helm in September 2024.
· Baha is a French-born Moroccan international who represented the Atlas Lions 20 times, making his international debut on the 12th of February 2003 in an international friendly against Senegal.
· Baha has been in charge of the Moroccan U-17 national team for 17 games, his record in these games reads W7 D6 L3. Baha’s team are undefeated in their last five games, winning three games and drawing two.
· Morocco’s highest scoring at a single final was Younes Bnou Marzouk who scored 4 goals when they hosted the tournament in 2013.
UGANDA FACTS
· Uganda’s only previous finals appearance was in 2019, when their neighbours Tanzania were hosts.
· At the 2019 finals Uganda began with a 1-0 loss to Angola in Group A, they then defeated hosts Tanzania 3-0 and drew with Nigeria 1-1 in their final group game. They exited the tournament in the group stage.
· All four of Uganda’s goals at the 2019 finals were scored by different players, they are yet to have a player score multiple goals for them at the finals.
· Uganda qualified for the second finals by winning the CECAFA regional play-off. They began with a 1-1 draw against Tanzania in their first group game then defeated Keny 5-0 in their second group game. They managed to overcome Somalia 4-1 in the Semi-finals and defeated Tanzania in Kampala on the 27th of December 2024 in the final winning 2-1.
· James Bogere top scored for Uganda in the qualifiers, he scored 7 goals netting two hat-tricks in their 5-0 group stage win over Kenya and in their 4-1 Semi-final win over Somalia. He also scored their game-winner in their 2-1 win in the final against Tanzania.
· The Uganda U-17 team are coached by Brian Ssenyondo who assumed the helm in November 2024, three weeks before they began their qualifying campaign against Tanzania.
-CAF
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Defending champions Morocco will begin the defence of their continental crown on home soil on Wednesday as the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 kicks off with 16 nations battling for African glory and qualification to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
The tournament, which runs from May 13 to June 2, will introduce CAF’s new festival-style format aimed at creating a more integrated and development-focused environment for Africa’s rising football stars.
Most matches will take place at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, widely regarded as one of Africa’s leading football facilities, while the opening match, semi-finals and final will be staged at other designated venues.
Morocco, which lifted the title in 2025, headlines a difficult Group A that also includes Tunisia, Egypt and Ethiopia.
The hosts are expected to carry enormous pressure as they seek to retain the trophy in front of home supporters, while also continuing the country’s growing influence in African and global football.
Under coach Tiago Lima Pereira, Morocco are expected to rely on an aggressive attacking approach built around ball possession, high pressing and fluid movement. Young talents Adam Bougazir, Rami Loukmani and Ilyan Hadidi are already attracting attention ahead of the competition.
Morocco’s opening clash against Tunisia is expected to provide an immediate examination of their title ambitions. Tunisia, led by coach Nadjeh Toumi, are known for their tactical discipline and defensive organisation and could pose a serious threat to the hosts.
The Moroccans are not only chasing continental success but also one of Africa’s 10 tickets to the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026.
Under the tournament format, all eight quarter-finalists will automatically qualify for the World Cup, while the four third-placed teams from the group stage will contest additional play-off matches to determine the final two African representatives.
The competition also reflects Morocco’s growing status as a major football host nation following recent successes in organising continental and international tournaments.
Elsewhere, Group B features former champions Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon alongside Uganda and debutants DR Congo.
The tournament is expected to showcase some of Africa’s brightest emerging football talents, with nations hoping to combine continental success with qualification for the global stage in Qatar.
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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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