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Zimbabwe drawn in Group A for COSAFA U17 qualifiers
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Hosts Zimbabwe will battle it out in Group A of the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifiers, set to take place in Harare from September 11 to 20, 2025.
The Young Warriors have been drawn alongside Mozambique, Comoros, and Eswatini in what is shaping up to be a fiercely contested group. As hosts, Zimbabwe enter the tournament as top seeds in their group and will be hoping to leverage home advantage to secure a place in the semifinals.
Only the group winners and the best second-placed team across all groups will advance to the last four of the regional tournament. The top two teams from the COSAFA qualifiers will earn a spot at the CAF U-17 AFCON, scheduled for 2026, which also serves as a pathway to the newly expanded FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The global tournament will now feature 48 teams, with 10 slots allocated to Africa, making the COSAFA competition an even more vital opportunity for emerging talent to step onto the world stage.
Zimbabwe will be hoping to return to continental prominence in the youth category, with this tournament offering both a platform for development and a chance at redemption after several years of underwhelming performances at junior level.
With preparations underway and national pride at stake, all eyes will be on Harare next month as the next generation of Southern African football talent vies for a place among the continent's elite.
TOTALENERGIES CAF UNDER-17 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS COSAFA QUALIFIERS 2026
GROUP A: Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Comoros, Eswatini GROUP B: Zambia, South Africa, Madagascar, Malawi, GROUP C: Angola, Botswana, Mauritius, Lesotho.
The Young Warriors have been drawn alongside Mozambique, Comoros, and Eswatini in what is shaping up to be a fiercely contested group. As hosts, Zimbabwe enter the tournament as top seeds in their group and will be hoping to leverage home advantage to secure a place in the semifinals.
Only the group winners and the best second-placed team across all groups will advance to the last four of the regional tournament. The top two teams from the COSAFA qualifiers will earn a spot at the CAF U-17 AFCON, scheduled for 2026, which also serves as a pathway to the newly expanded FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Zimbabwe will be hoping to return to continental prominence in the youth category, with this tournament offering both a platform for development and a chance at redemption after several years of underwhelming performances at junior level.
With preparations underway and national pride at stake, all eyes will be on Harare next month as the next generation of Southern African football talent vies for a place among the continent's elite.
TOTALENERGIES CAF UNDER-17 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS COSAFA QUALIFIERS 2026
GROUP A: Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Comoros, Eswatini GROUP B: Zambia, South Africa, Madagascar, Malawi, GROUP C: Angola, Botswana, Mauritius, Lesotho.
Source - The Chronicle
