2026 African U-20 Women's World Cup qualification
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 9 May 2025 – 10 May 2026 |
| Teams | 38 |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 35 |
| Goals scored | 119 (3.4 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | (7 goals) |
← 2024 2028 →
All statistics correct as of 8 February 2026. | |
The 2026 African U-20 Women's World Cup qualification is the 13th edition of the the biennial African youth football competition organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to determine which African women's under-20 national teams qualify for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Players born on or after 1 January 2006 are eligible to compete.
Four teams will qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland as the CAF representatives.
Draw
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
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.
Algeria
Angola
Benin
Burundi
Botswana
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Congo
DR Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Ivory Coast
Kenya
Morocco
Malawi
Mali
Mozambique
Namibia
Nigeria
Niger
Rwanda
Senegal
South Africa
South Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
- Qualification rankings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Round reached |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 | +19 | 18 | 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup | |
| 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 6 | +11 | 16 | ||
| 3 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 2 | +9 | 16 | ||
| 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 2 | +10 | 13 | ||
| 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 4 | +8 | 13 | Fourth round | |
| 6 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 28 | 6 | +22 | 11 | ||
| 7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 8 | ||
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 5 | ||
| 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 3 | +11 | 7 | Third round | |
| 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 2 | +7 | 7 | ||
| 11 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 7 | ||
| 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 6 | ||
| 13 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 6 | ||
| 14 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 8 | −1 | 6 | ||
| 15 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | ||
| 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | −6 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | Second round | |
| 18 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 19 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 1 | ||
| 21 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 1 | ||
| 22 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 1 | ||
| 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 0 | ||
| 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 0 | ||
| 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0 | ||
| 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | −8 | 0 | ||
| 27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | −9 | 0 | ||
| 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | −10 | 0 | ||
| 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | −12 | 0 | ||
| 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | −18 | 0 | ||
| 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0 | Forfeited the tie | |
| 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0 | ||
| 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 0 | First round | |
| 34 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0 | Forfeited the tie | |
| 34 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0 |
Draw pots
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
The following associations have previously fielded or currently field a women's under-20 team but chose not to participate:
Burkina Faso
Chad[a]
Comoros
Eritrea
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya[a]
Madagascar
Mauritania
Mauritius
São Tomé and Príncipe
Sierra Leone
The following associations have never fielded a women's under-20 team and did not participate:
Cape Verde
Somalia
Sudan
Seychelles
Format
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
| 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 |
Bracket
The four winners of the fourth round would qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
| Second round | Third round | Fourth round | |||||||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 9 | 9 | 18 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
| 4 | 3 | 7 | |||||||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| Second round | Third round | Fourth round | |||||||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 5 | 4 | 9 | |||||||||||||||
| 3 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| Second round | Third round | Fourth round | |||||||||||||||
| 3 | 3 | 6 | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | — | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | — | w/o | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 0 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||
| 5 | 4 | 9 | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| Second round | Third round | Fourth round | |||||||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 4 | 6 | |||||||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| — | — | w/o | |||||||||||||||
| — | — | ||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||
First round
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabon | w/o[b] | — | — | |
| Togo | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | |
| Gambia | 0–6 | 0–1 | 0–5 | |
| Rwanda | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | |
| South Sudan | 13–0 | 5–0 | 8–0 | |
| Malawi | 4–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Togo | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Aawi |
Report | Zerelli |
Tunisia won 2–1 on aggregate.[5]
| Gambia | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Bah |
| Ivory Coast | 5–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Ivory Coast won 6–0 on aggregate.[6]
| Zimbabwe | 0–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Rwanda won 2–1 on aggregate.[7]
| South Sudan | 5–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Djibouti | 0–8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
South Sudan won 13–0 on aggregate.[8]
| Malawi | 3–1 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
| Central African Republic | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Daoud |
Report | Chinyamula |
Malawi won 4–2 on aggregate.[9]
Second round
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niger | 0–18 | 0–9 | 0–9 | |
| Botswana | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | |
| Ethiopia | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–4 | |
| Tanzania | 7–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | |
| Tunisia | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | |
| Eswatini | 0–9 | 0–5 | 0–4 | |
| Uganda | 5–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | |
| Burundi | 1–4 | 1–2 | 0–2 | |
| Ivory Coast | 6–4 | 3–1 | 3–3 | |
| Mali | w/o | 1–1 | —[c] | |
| Equatorial Guinea | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–3 | |
| Benin | 9–4 | 5–1 | 4–3 | |
| Rwanda | 0–5 | 0–1 | 0–4 | |
| Senegal | 6–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | |
| Guinea-Bissau | w/o | — | — | |
| South Sudan | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 |
| Niger | 0–9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
| Cameroon | 9–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Cameroon won 18–0 on aggregate.[10]
| Botswana | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Mozambique | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Beatriz |
Report | Serokane |
Botswana won 3–1 on aggregate.
| Ethiopia | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
Kenya won 5–1 on aggregate.[11]
Tanzania won 7–0 on aggregate.
| Ghana | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Ghana won 4–0 on aggregate.
| Eswatini | 0–5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
| South Africa | 4–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
South Africa won 9–0 on aggregate.
Uganda won 5–0 on aggregate.[12]
Zambia won 4–1 on aggregate.[13]
| Ivory Coast | 3–1 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
| Morocco | 3–3 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
Ivory Coast won 6–4 on aggregate.[14]
| Mali | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Diabaté |
Report | Mukubayi |
DR Congo won on walkover and advanced to the third round after Mali withdrew prior to the second leg following a 1–1 draw in the first leg.[15]
| Equatorial Guinea | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Shalma Midje |
Report |
| Egypt | 3–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Egypt won 3–1 on aggregate.[16]
| Benin | 5–1 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
| Guinea | 3–4 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
Benin won 9–4 on aggregate.[17]
| Rwanda | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (NFF) |
Olabiyi |
| Nigeria | 4–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Nigeria won 5–0 on aggregate.[18]
| Senegal | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report Report (FSF) |
| Algeria | 0–4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report Report (FSF) |
Senegal won 6–0 on aggregate.[19]
| Guinea-Bissau | Cancelled | |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Guinea-Bissau won on walkover and advanced to the third round after Congo withdrew prior to the first leg without giving any clarification on the reason.
| South Sudan | 0–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
| Malawi | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
Malawi won 3–1 on aggregate.[20]
Third round
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon | 5–1 | 5–0 | 0–1 | |
| Kenya | 1–1 (1–3 p) | 1–0 | 0–1 | |
| Ghana | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | |
| Uganda | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | |
| Ivory Coast | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | |
| Egypt | 0–5 | 0–1 | 0–4 | |
| Nigeria | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | |
| Guinea-Bissau | 2–6 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
| Cameroon | 5–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Cameroon won 5–1 on aggregate.
| Kenya | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Mideva |
Report |
1–1 on aggregate. Tanzania won 3–1 on penalties.
| Ghana | 2–2 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
| South Africa | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Mensah |
Ghana won 3–2 on aggregate.
Uganda won 2–1 on aggregate.
| Ivory Coast | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| DR Congo | 1–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Kalumba |
Report |
Ivory Coast won 2–1 on aggregate.
| Egypt | 0–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Gandonou |
| Benin | 4–0 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Benin won 5–0 on aggregate.
Nigeria won 3–1 on aggregate.
| Guinea-Bissau | 1–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Q. da Silva |
Report | Mulimbika |
| Malawi | 5–1 | |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
Malawi won 6–2 on aggregate.
Fourth round
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon | 1–3 May | 8–10 May | ||
| Ghana | 1–3 May | 8–10 May | ||
| Ivory Coast | 1–3 May | 8–10 May | ||
| Nigeria | 1–3 May | 8–10 May |
Qualified teams for FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
The following four teams from CAF will qualify 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 0 (debut) | ||
- 1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.
Goalscorers
There have been 151 goals scored in 47 matches, for an average of 3.21 goals per match (as of 8 February 2026).
8 goals
6 goals
4 goals
3 goals
Rachou Mekoua
Maëva Nyadjou
Aurore Tsimi
Mercy Attobrah
Hajar Balkhir
Mavis Maicane
Kayungu Vivian Iga
Anyiet Wek Madout
Winfrida Gerald
2 goals
Dorothy Effa
Marie Ngon Biyo
Gloria Son Mouen
Habiba Essam
Agnes Yeboah
Enelesi Fabiano
Sarah Mulimbika
Khadija Badio
Khwezi Khoza
Bonolo Mokoma
Zoe October
Hasnath Ubamba
Agnes Nabukenya
Edith Phiri
1 goal
Yasmine Djibril
Auriane Titibi
Rose Modumo
Mmabatho Serokane
Rukiya Bizimana
Loana Bibene
Andree Ngo Bilong
Maïmouna Daoud
Sylviane Passibi Sate
Catherine Mukubayi
Habiba Biktash
Shalma Midje
Emush Daniel
Linda Owusu Ansah
Aïcha Kouyaté
Mariama Soumah
Mariama Yattara
Quinta da Silva
Nahomie Bah
Priscille Chyle
Audrey Djan
Grâce N'Dri
Rolande N'Guessan
Yasmine Timité
Fasila Adhiambo
Valerie Nekesa
Leticia Chinyamula
Fatima Lali
Victoria Mkwala
Olivia Phikani
Kadidiatou Diabaté
Hafsa Houmaid
Biatriz Zaqueu
Fatimah Adeshina
Taiwo Afolabi
Janet Akekoromwei
Kindness Ifeanyi
Alaba Olabiyi
Precious Oscar
Darlene Ishmwe
Scholastique Gikundiro
Sokhna Nogaye Pène
Aïssatou Sagna
Marie-Louise Sarr
Katleho Malebana
Katlego Mohale
Adong Joan
Nancy Joseph
Ludia Maika
Monica Nakuma
Asha Ramadhani
Neema Kinega
Essodessam Abigail Aawi
Ranim Ajroud
Tesnim Zerelli
Barbara Anomo
Sylvia Kabene
Mary Kantono
Peace Muduwa
Mercy Chipasula
Chishala Mfunte
Ruth Muwowo
Bethel Kondo
1 own goal
Notes
- ^ a b The country previously registered for the African qualifiers in this category but has not yet played an international match.
- ^ 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]
- ^ a b The second leg was cancelled after the Malian Football Federation withdrew from the competition due to organizational and logistical difficulties.
See also
- 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations
- 2025 African U-17 Women's World Cup qualification
- 2026 African U-17 Women's World Cup qualification
References
- ^ "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.
The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) will be conducting the official draw of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, African Qualifiers at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo on Thursday, 12 December 2024.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Regulations of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations" (PDF). CAF.
- ^ Nounamo, Jean-Claude (11 May 2025). "Women's Football – U20 CAN Qualifiers: Gabon silently forfeits against Niger!". Gabon All Sport (in French). Archived from the original on 21 May 2025. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ "Mondial U20 féminin : La Tunisie passe au deuxième tour après sa victoire contre le Togo" [U20 Women's World Cup: Tunisia advances to the second round after their win over Togo]. La Presse de Tunisie (The Tunisian Press) (in French). 18 May 2025. Archived from the original on 23 June 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ^ Yah, Chamade (18 May 2025). "El. Mondial : Féminine U20-2è Tour : La Côte d'Ivoire jouera le Maroc" [World Cup Qualifiers: Women's U20 – Second Round: Côte d'Ivoire will play against Morocco.]. Sport Ivoire (Ivorian Sport) (in French). Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ^ Kamasa, Peter (14 May 2025). "Rwanda see off Zimbabwe in U20 Women's World Cup qualifiers". The New Times. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ Michael Daniel (16 May 2025). "South Sudan's U-20 starlets thrashed Djibouti counterparts 8–0 in African world cup qualifiers return leg". Eye Radio. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ Mabuka, Dennis (19 May 2025). "Malawi advance to second round of FIFA U20 Women's qualifiers". Africa Top Sports. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ^ "U20 WWC Qualifiers: Lionesses thrash Niger". CAFOnline.com. 8 February 2026. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
Cameroon delivered the standout performance of the first-leg fixtures in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup African qualifiers, sweeping aside Botswana 5–0 to move firmly into control of their tie.
- ^ Otieno, Wiltord (28 September 2025). "Kenya Rising Starlets Beat Ethiopia 4-0, Tanzania Test Awaits". The Kenya Times. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ^ Muziransa, Makhtum (23 September 2025). "Queen Cranes advance to penultimate qualification round". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
- ^ Chikondi (28 September 2025). "Zambia U20 Women Overpower Burundi 4-1 on Aggregate to Set Up Uganda Clash". Bola Yapa Zed. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ^ Seck, Ndeye Fatou (28 September 2025). "Coupe du monde U20 (F) : le Maroc éliminé par la Côte d'Ivoire" [FIFA U20 Women's World Cup: Morocco eliminated by Côte d'Ivoire]. Onze D'Afrik (in French). Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ^ Mikito, Miché (27 September 2025). "U20 Women's World Cup Qualifiers: Mali withdraws, DR Congo advance". congoquotidien.com (in French). Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ^ Mostafa Saber (26 September 2025). "Egypt defeat Equatorial Guinea to reach the third round of the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup qualifiers". almasryalyoum.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ^ "U20 Women's World Cup Qualifiers: Benin overpower Guinea 9–4 on aggregate". africasport.org (in French). 26 September 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ^ "U20WWCQ: Falconets Defeat Rwanda 4-0 To Book Third Round". von.gov.ng. 28 September 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ^ "FIFA U20 Women's World Cup: Lionesses sweep aside Algeria to advance to the next round". RTS (in French). 27 September 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
- ^ Mabuka, Dennis (27 September 2025). "Malawi Young Scorchers Through to Third Round". Africa Top Sports. Retrieved 28 September 2025.