The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the draw procedures for the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (CAF U-17 AFCON Morocco 2026), as preparations intensify for the tournament that will also serve as qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026.
According to CAF, the final draw will hold on April 8, 2026, in Cairo, Egypt, and will be broadcast live on CAF TV from 14:00 local time (12:00 GMT).
A total of 16 teams will be divided into four groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage. The eight quarter-finalists will automatically secure qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026.
An additional play-off round involving teams finishing third in their groups will determine the remaining two qualification spots for the global tournament.
The participating teams include hosts Morocco, alongside Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Mozambique, South Africa, Senegal, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, DR Congo, Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia.
CAF explained that the seeding system is based on performances in the last three editions of the competition, excluding the cancelled 2021 tournament, with greater weight given to more recent results.
Under the seeding arrangement, hosts and defending champions Morocco will lead Group A, while Mali, the runners-up from the previous edition, will head Group C.
Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire are placed in Pot 1, while Pot 2 includes South Africa, Cameroon, Angola, and Tunisia. Pot 3 consists of Uganda, Egypt, Algeria, and Tanzania, while Pot 4 features Ethiopia, Ghana, DR Congo, and Mozambique.
CAF added that the draw will follow a structured order, with teams from each pot assigned sequential group positions to determine the final group composition.
The tournament is expected to showcase Africa’s brightest young talents as they compete for continental glory and World Cup qualification.
