FIFA U-17 World Cup places up for grabs at TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON Morocco 2026

The race to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 will add extra significance to every match at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026.

Africa will once again have 10 representatives at the global finals following the expansion of the FIFA U-17 World Cup to 48 teams. The tournament in Qatar later this year will be the second edition played under the expanded format.

The eight quarter-finalists at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON will automatically qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, while two additional places will be decided through play-off matches involving the four third-placed teams from the group stage.

Those four teams will contest two play-off fixtures to determine the final African representatives at the global tournament.

The same format was used at the previous edition when Uganda defeated Gambia 2-1 in their play-off clash, while Egypt edged Angola 2-1 to secure qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Those matches were played immediately after the conclusion of the group stage.

The system once again gives teams that narrowly miss out on the quarter-finals another opportunity to keep their World Cup dreams alive.

African teams performed strongly at last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup, with eight nations reaching the Round of 32. Morocco and Burkina Faso advanced as far as the quarter-finals before eventually exiting the competition, which was won by Portugal.

Hosts and defending champions Morocco headline Group A alongside Tunisia, Egypt and Ethiopia in what promises to be one of the tournament’s most competitive pools.

Former champions Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon lead Group B, which also includes Uganda and debutants DR Congo.

Last year’s runners-up Mali are in Group C together with Angola, Tanzania and Mozambique, while Senegal headline Group D alongside South Africa, Algeria and two-time champions Ghana.