Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, five-time global champions, will not be present in the Africa U-17 Nations Cup, which begins on Sunday in Morocco.
The team will not be present when the FIFA U17 World Cup begins because they were unable to go past the regional WAFU-B elimination series.
16 teams compete for the continental title and a spot at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup later this year in the CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025, which begins this Sunday with a match between the host country, Morocco, and Uganda.
Many of the best young players on the continent will have their first taste of an international competition at the expanded tournament, marking the beginning of their route to a lengthy national team career.
Many players in the Class of 2025 will aspire to have similarly great club and international careers. Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho was one of the standout performers when Morocco previously hosted the Under-17 continental finals in 2013.
The 48-team FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar will feature a record 10 spots for Africa, giving the continent a chance to display its exceptional up-and-coming talent on a worldwide scale.
Eight quarterfinalists and two additional teams selected through play-off matches between the teams that place third in their group stage pools will be included.
The competition will include a brand-new trophy, with the phrase “Journey Begins” serving as the inspiration.
In order to represent pride and solidarity on the continent, it incorporates an African map with a road-like structure that represents the player’s journey.
MATCH VENUES
Matches will be held at four different locations: El Abdi Stadium in El Jadida, Larbi Zaouli Stadium and Berrechid Stadium in Casablanca, and El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia.
MATCH DAY ONE FIXTURES
The match between Morocco and Uganda, the East African champions, kicks off at 22 p.m. (local time/GMT) on Sunday at El Bachir Stadium.
Tanzania will play Southern African champions Zambia the next day at 14:00 to wrap up the first round of Group A matches.
Later in the afternoon, Casablanca’s Larbi Zaouli Stadium hosts a Group B clash between the last edition’s bronze medallists, Burkina Faso and two-time champions Cameroon at 17h00.
2015 runners-up South Africa and 1997 edition champions Egypt square off in an intriguing north vs south match at 20h00 in the day’s final match, which also takes place at the same location.
Senegal, the defending champions, will be the main attraction in Group C and D on Tuesday, April 1.
They play The Gambia at the El Abdi Stadium at 14:00, and Somalia, who are playing in the finals for the second time, plays Tunisia at 17:00.
In Group D, past winners Cote d’Ivoire want to win their first match against the Central African Republic at 20h00, while Mali, who placed fourth in the last edition, faces tournament newcomers Angola at 17:00.
CAF U-17 CAF AFCON, Morocco 2025 Groups:
GROUP A: Morocco (Hosts), Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia
GROUP B: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, South Africa, Egypt
GROUP C: Senegal, Gambia, Somalia, Tunisia
GROUP D: Mali, Angola, Cote d’Ivoire, Central African Republic