16 Nations Book Spots for 2026 U-17 AFCON as Confederation of African Football Confirms Final Line-Up
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially unveiled the 16 countries set to compete in the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place in Morocco from April 25 to May 15, 2026.
Algeria secured the final qualification slot after edging Egypt 1-0 at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, completing the tournament line-up.
The competition will also act as a gateway to the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, where the expanded 48-team format will feature the top 10 teams from Africa’s tournament.
The qualified nations include Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Morocco (hosts), Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.
One of the biggest absentees is Nigeria, who miss out for the second consecutive edition after a 2-0 semi-final defeat to Ghana in the WAFU Zone B qualifiers held in September 2025.
CAF’s qualification process spans six regional zones—UNAF, WAFU A, WAFU B, UNIFFAC, CECAFA, and COSAFA—each hosting mini-tournaments to determine representatives for the continental showpiece. Nigeria’s loss at the WAFU B stage ultimately ended their hopes of progressing to the finals.