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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