The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to introduce a new festival-style format for its youth competitions, bringing together matches, training sessions, and team operations within a single integrated environment for all participating teams.
The first festival-style event will take place during the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2026, from May 13 to June 2, 2026. All matches, except the opening game, the semi-finals, and the final, will be played at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Morocco.
This approach aims to create a dynamic tournament atmosphere while improving operational efficiency, ensuring organizational consistency, and supporting the long-term development of players across multiple editions.
The final draw for the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 took place earlier this month and resulted in a competitive lineup.
Morocco, the host nation and defending champion, has been placed in Group A alongside Tunisia, Egypt, and Ethiopia.
Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon, both former champions, headline Group B, where they are joined by Uganda and DR Congo, which is making its debut in the competition.
Mali, last year’s finalist, is in Group C with Southern African teams Angola and Mozambique, as well as East African representatives Tanzania.
Senegal tops Group D, which also includes South Africa, finalists in 2015, Algeria, and Ghana, a two-time winner.
The eight quarter-finalist teams will automatically qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026, while the teams finishing third in their groups will play two play-off matches to determine the final two qualifying spots.
In total, 10 African nations will once again represent the continent at the global finals to be held later this year.
CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026:
Group A: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia Group B: Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Uganda, DR Congo Group C: Mali, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique Group D: Senegal, South Africa, Algeria, Ghana