The landscape of the U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, scheduled to take place in Morocco in 2026, has just taken an unexpected turn.
The Djibouti national team has officially announced its withdrawal from the competition, thereby forfeiting its participation in the qualifying rounds.
This withdrawal is a game-changer for the African Zone bracket, leaving a gap in the initial match schedule.
This withdrawal directly benefits the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Without having to take the field for this round, the DRC’s Leopards women’s team has secured an automatic berth in the second and penultimate round of the qualifiers.
This marks a crucial administrative milestone, allowing the Congolese team to conserve their energy while moving closer to a historic qualification for the final tournament in Morocco.
Now, all eyes are on next May, when the DRC will resume competition. The Congolese will then face the winner of the match between Rwanda and Zambia.
This upcoming clash promises to be decisive for the rest of their campaign, as the Leopards must remain focused despite this automatic qualification in order to approach this decisive round with the necessary rigor.
