Amajimbos have learned the opponents they will face in the 2026 CAF Under-17 AFCON tournament after the group stage draw on Wednesday.
The draw took place in Cairo, Egypt, on 08 April 2026 and was streamed live on the CAF TV. This competition will commence from 13 May to 2 June 2026 in Morocco
The 16 qualified nations were divided into four groups of four teams each for the upcoming AFCON tournament.
Amajimbos secured their place in the 2026 U-17 AFCON after storming into the final of the regional qualifiers in Zimbabwe last September. The South African youth internationals booked their ticket in emphatic fashion with a dominant 7-0 demolition of Comoros in the semi-finals at the Ngoni Stadium in Marondera.
The U-17 AFCON draw has set the stage for a “Group of Death” for the South African youngsters. Amajimbos are pitted in Group D alongside heavyweights Senegal, Algeria, and Ghana.
AMAJIMBOS PITTED AGAINST AFRICAN HEAVYWEIGHTS IN U-17 AFCON
Vela Khumalo’s charges will have a mammoth task to deal with if they are keen to be crowned the African champions.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, automatically securing a spot in the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
In a boost for the competing nations, an additional play-off round between the third-placed teams will determine the final two African representatives for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
South Africa’s best finish in this competition remains their runners-up spot in 2015. They lost [2-0] to Mali in the final. A quarter-final berth in Morocco will be the primary target to ensure a return to the world stage.
Meanwhile, the hosts and defending champions, Morocco, will look to utilise their home-ground advantage. This will be against North African rivals Tunisia and Egypt, with Ethiopia rounding up Group A.
THE 2026 U-17 AFCON FULL DRAW
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, Ghana, Algeria
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