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2026 African U-20 Women's World Cup qualification

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2026 African U-20 Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament
Tournament details
Dates9 May 2025 – 10 May 2026
Teams38
Tournament statistics
Matches played12
Goals scored31 (2.58 per match)
Top scorer(s)South Sudan Kayungu Vivian Iga
South Sudan Anyiet Wek Madout
South Sudan Nyamam Makuach
(3 goals each)
← 2024
2028 →
All statistics correct as of 18 May 2025.

The 2026 African U-20 Women's World Cup qualification is the 13th edition of the African U-20 Women's World Cup qualification, the biennial international youth football competition organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to determine which women's under-20 national teams from Africa qualify for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Players born on or after 1 January 2006 are eligible to compete in the tournament.

Four teams qualified from this tournament for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland as the CAF representatives.

Draw

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The draw was held on 12 December 2024 at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.[1][2]

  • First Round: The 12 lowest-ranked teams, based on previous U-20 Women's World Cup qualifiers performance, will contest in this round. The six winners will advance to join the 26 top-ranked teams exempted from the first round.
  • Second Round: The six first-round winners and 26 exempted teams will form 32 teams. These will battle it out for 16 spots in the third round.
  • Third Round: The remaining 16 teams will compete in a knockout format to determine the eight teams advancing to the fourth round.
  • Fourth Round: The final eight teams will play knockout ties, with the winners earning qualification to the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

Entrants

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A total of 38 (out of 54) CAF member associations registered teams for the competition. The teams were seeded based on their performance in the previous qualifying campaign. The four lowest-ranked teams, along with eight associations that did not participate in the previous edition, entered the first round, which featured six ties. The winners of these ties advanced to the second round.

Qualification rankings
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Round reached
1  Ghana 6 6 0 0 21 2 +19 18 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
2  Cameroon 6 5 1 0 17 6 +11 16
3  Nigeria 6 5 1 0 11 2 +9 16
4  Morocco 6 4 1 1 12 2 +10 13
5  Ethiopia 6 4 1 1 12 4 +8 13 Fourth round
6  Egypt 6 3 2 1 28 6 +22 11
7  Senegal 6 2 2 2 5 8 −3 8
8  Burundi 6 1 2 3 5 7 −2 5
9  Tanzania 4 2 1 1 14 3 +11 7 Third round
10  Uganda 4 2 1 1 9 2 +7 7
11  Congo 4 2 1 1 6 8 −2 7
12  Kenya 4 2 0 2 12 7 +5 6
13  Guinea 4 2 0 2 10 5 +5 6
14  Eswatini 4 2 0 2 7 8 −1 6
15  DR Congo 4 1 2 1 5 5 0 5
16  Mali 4 1 0 3 2 8 −6 3
17  Algeria 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3 Second round
18  South Africa 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2
19  Zambia 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2
20  Equatorial Guinea 2 0 1 1 2 5 −3 1
21  Burkina Faso 2 0 1 1 1 5 −4 1
22  Benin 2 0 1 1 0 2 −2 1
23  Namibia 2 0 0 2 1 5 −4 0
24  Botswana 2 0 0 2 1 6 −5 0
25  Guinea-Bissau 2 0 0 2 0 6 −6 0
26  Mozambique 2 0 0 2 0 8 −8 0
27  Angola 2 0 0 2 1 10 −9 0
28  Niger 2 0 0 2 0 10 −10 0
29  Djibouti 2 0 0 2 0 12 −12 0
30  São Tomé and Príncipe 2 0 0 2 0 18 −18 0
31  Gabon 2 0 0 2 0 6 −6 0 Forfeited the tie
31  Mauritius 2 0 0 2 0 6 −6 0
33  Togo 2 0 0 2 1 6 −5 0 First round
34  Chad 2 0 0 2 0 6 −6 0 Forfeited the tie
34  Libya 2 0 0 2 0 6 −6 0
Source: CAF

Draw pots

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The teams were seeded into pots based on geographical distribution, with UNAF, UNIFFAC, and WAFU placed in one pot, and CECAFA and COSAFA in the other. Ties were drawn between teams from the same pot to minimize travel costs.

First round
Pot 1 Pot 2
Second round
Pot 1
(CECAFA and COSAFA)		 Pot 2
(UNAF, UNIFFAC and WAFU)

Did not enter

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The following associations have previously fielded or currently field a women's under-20 team but chose not to participate:

The following associations have never fielded a women's under-20 team and did not participate:

Format

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Qualification ties were played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, the away goals rule would be applied, and if still tied, the penalty shoot-out (no extra time) would be used to determine the winner.[3]

Schedule

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Round Leg Date
First round First leg 9–11 May 2025
Second leg 16–18 May 2025
Second round First leg 19–21 September 2025
Second leg 26–28 September 2025
Third round First leg 6–8 February 2026
Second leg 12–14 February 2026
Fourth round First leg 1–3 May 2026
Second leg 8–10 May 2026

First round

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Team 1Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Gabon w/o[b] Niger——
Togo 1–2 Tunisia1–10–1
Gambia 0–6 Ivory Coast0–10–5
Rwanda 2–1 Zimbabwe2–10–0
South Sudan 13–0 Djibouti5–08–0
Malawi 4–2 Central African Republic3–11–1
Togo 1–1 Tunisia
Aawi 45' Report Zerelli 31'
Tunisia 1–0 Togo
Ajroud 12' Report

Tunisia won 2–1 on aggregate.[5]

Gambia 0–1 Ivory Coast
Report Bah 65'
Referee: Eness Gumbo (Malawi)
Ivory Coast 5–0 Gambia
 Report
Referee: Sabah Sadir (Morocco)

Ivory Coast won 6–0 on aggregate.[6]

Rwanda 2–1 Zimbabwe
 Report
Zimbabwe 0–0 Rwanda
Report

Rwanda won 2–1 on aggregate.[7]

South Sudan 5–0 Djibouti
 Report
Djibouti 0–8 South Sudan
Report
Juba Stadium, Juba (South Sudan)

South Sudan won 13–0 on aggregate.[8]

Malawi 3–1 Central African Republic
 Report
Central African Republic 1–1 Malawi
Daoud 11' Report Chinyamula 47'

Malawi won 4–2 on aggregate.[9]

Second round

[edit]
Team 1Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Niger  Cameroon19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Botswana  Mozambique19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Ethiopia  Kenya19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Tanzania  Angola19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Tunisia  Ghana19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Eswatini  South Africa19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Uganda  Namibia19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Burundi  Zambia19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Ivory Coast  Morocco19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Mali  DR Congo19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Equatorial Guinea  Egypt19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Benin  Guinea19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Rwanda  Nigeria19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Senegal  Algeria19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Guinea-Bissau  Congo19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
South Sudan  Malawi19–21 Sept26–28 Sept
Niger v Cameroon
Report
Cameroon v Niger
Report
Botswana v Mozambique
Report
Mozambique v Botswana
Report
Ethiopia v Kenya
Report
Kenya v Ethiopia
Report
Tanzania v Angola
Report
Angola v Tanzania
Report
Tunisia v Ghana
Report
Ghana v Tunisia
Report
Eswatini v South Africa
Report
South Africa v Eswatini
Report
Uganda v Namibia
Report
Namibia v Uganda
Report
Burundi v Zambia
Report
Zambia v Burundi
Report
Ivory Coast v Morocco
Report
Morocco v Ivory Coast
Report
Mali v DR Congo
Report
DR Congo v Mali
Report
Equatorial Guinea v Egypt
Report
Egypt v Equatorial Guinea
Report
Benin v Guinea
Report
Guinea v Benin
Report
Rwanda v Nigeria
Report
Nigeria v Rwanda
Report
Senegal v Algeria
Report
Algeria v Senegal
Report
Guinea-Bissau v Congo
Report
Congo v Guinea-Bissau
Report
South Sudan v Malawi
Report
Malawi v South Sudan
Report

Third round

[edit]
Team 1Agg. Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Niger  or Cameroon  Botswana or  Mozambique6–8 Feb 26'12–14 Feb 26'
Ethiopia  or Kenya  Tanzania or  Angola6–8 Feb 26'12–14 Feb 26'
Tunisia  or Ghana  Eswatini or  South Africa6–8 Feb 26'12–14 Feb 26'
Uganda  or Namibia  Burundi or  Zambia6–8 Feb 26'12–14 Feb 26'
Ivory Coast  or Morocco  Mali or  DR Congo6–8 Feb 26'12–14 Feb 26'
Equatorial Guinea  or Egypt  Benin or  Guinea6–8 Feb 26'12–14 Feb 26'
Rwanda  or Nigeria  Senegal or  Algeria6–8 Feb 26'12–14 Feb 26'
Guinea-Bissau  or Congo  South Sudan or  Malawi6–8 Feb 26'12–14 Feb 26'

Qualified teams for FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup

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The following four teams from CAF qualified for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland.

Team Qualified on Previous appearances in FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup1
1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.

Goalscorers

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There have been 31 goals scored in 12 matches, for an average of 2.58 goals per match (as of 18 May 2025).

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

Notes

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  1. ^ a b The country previously registered for the African qualifiers in this category but has not yet played an international match.
  2. ^ Niger won on a walkover and advanced to the second round after FEGAFOOT withdrew its women's under-20 team without giving any clarification on the reason.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "CAF to host Draw for African Qualifiers for FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Cairo on Thursday". Cafonline.com. 11 December 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
  2. ^ "CAF maps out road to Poland 2026: U-20 Women's World Cup African Qualifiers Draw completed". Cafonline.com. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
  3. ^ "Regulations of the Women Africa Cup of Nations" (PDF). CAF.
  4. ^ Nounamo, Jean-Claude (11 May 2025). "Women's Football – U20 CAN Qualifiers: Gabon silently forfeits against Niger!". gabonallsport.com (in French). Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  5. ^ "U20 Women's World Cup: Tunisia advances to the second round after their win over Togo". lapresse.tn (in French). 18 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  6. ^ Yah, Chamade (18 May 2025). "World Cup Qualifiers: Women's U20 – Second Round: Côte d'Ivoire will play against Morocco". sport-ivoire.ci (in French). Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  7. ^ Kamasa, Peter (14 May 2025). "Rwanda see off Zimbabwe in U20 Women's World Cup qualifiers". newtimes.co.rw. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  8. ^ Michael Daniel (16 May 2025). "South Sudan's U-20 starlets thrashed Djibouti counterparts 8–0 in African world cup qualifiers return leg". eyeradio.org. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  9. ^ Mabuka, Dennis (19 May 2025). "Malawi advance to second round of FIFA U20 Women's qualifiers". africatopsports.com. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
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