U-17 WWC: African regional qualifying set for April start after draw

The African draw for 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup (U-17 WWC) qualifying is set with 31 countries scheduled for first-round fixtures kicking off from April 10 to 19.

 

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​This was confirmed on Saturday in Morocco—the host of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup—as the draw officially marked the start of the qualification campaign across the continent.

​The first-round fixtures are scheduled for April 10–12 (first leg) and April 17–19 (second leg). These matches feature a high-stakes neighborly battle in the WAFU B Zone, where Burkina Faso will trade tackles with Benin, and Togo will lock horns with Ghana in one of the most anticipated matchups. Further west, Sierra Leone takes on Ivory Coast.

​Elsewhere, Namibia goes head-to-head with Kenya’s Junior Starlets. Additionally, Zimbabwe battles Uganda, the Central African Republic faces the Banyana Banyana of South Africa, and North African side Algeria will test their strength against Cameroon’s Baby Lionesses. Tunisia is also set to face Senegal.

​However, Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, will kick off their quest for the 2026 World Cup at the second-round stage, as they are the only team to receive a bye. The Flamingos are set to face the winner of the preliminary round tie between Niger and Guinea. The first leg of the second round is scheduled for May 22–24, with the return leg billed for May 29–31.

Nigeria remains one of Africa’s most consistent performers at the U-17 level and will be aiming to return strongly to the global stage. Their last outing ended in disappointment when the Flamingos were eliminated in the Round of 16 following a 4–0 defeat to Italy.

​Successful teams at the end of the qualifiers will secure their places at the tournament, which will be hosted by Morocco in October.

• ​Niger vs Guinea
• ​Burkina Faso vs Benin
• Sierra Leone vs Ivory Coast
• Tunisia vs Senegal
• Algeria vs Cameroon
• Togo vs Ghana
• Libya vs Liberia
• Rwanda vs Zambia
• DR Congo vs Djibouti
• South Sudan vs Ethiopia
• Malawi vs Burundi
• Botswana vs Tanzania
• Central African Republic vs South Africa
• Zimbabwe vs Uganda
• Namibia vs Kenya