Morocco celebrates at the UNAF region qualifying tournament for the U-20 AFCON
Photo Credit: Union Nord-Africaine De Football
Road to the U-20 World Cup
The North Africa qualifiers for the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (U-20 AFCON) have kicked off, bringing together five teams in a highly competitive race for two coveted spots in the continental tournament. The AFCON U-20, which features 12 teams from across the continent, serves as the gateway to the U-20 FIFA World Cup in Chile. This raises the stakes, making these qualifiers a critical chapter in each team's journey toward global recognition.
Format and Host Country
This year, Egypt plays host to the North Africa qualifiers, adopting a single-group format that pits five teams—Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya—against each other.
The top two teams at the end of the round-robin stage will secure direct qualification to the AFCON. All matches are being held at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia.
Results So Far
Round One
The qualifiers began on Thursday, November 14, 2024, with two thrilling encounters:
Tunisia defeated Libya 2-1 in a close match.
Morocco edged past hosts Egypt with a 2-1 victory.
Round Two
The second round continued to deliver excitement:
Morocco strengthened their lead with another 2-1 win, this time over Tunisia.
Egypt and Algeria played out a 1-1 draw in a dramatic encounter.
Group Standings after two rounds
1. Morocco: 6 points.
2. Tunisia: 3 points.
3. Egypt: 1 point.
4. Algeria: 1 point.
5. Libya: 0 points.
Upcoming Fixtures
Round Three (November 20):
Egypt vs. Libya.
Morocco vs. Algeria.
Tunisia on a bye.
Round Four (November 23):
Tunisia vs. Algeria.
Morocco vs. Libya.
Egypt on a bye.
Final Round (November 26):
Egypt vs. Tunisia.
Algeria vs. Libya.
Qualified Teams for the 2025 U-20 AFCON
Ten teams have already booked their places in the tournament from other regions:
1. West Africa (WAFU A):
Senegal: Regional champions.
Sierra Leone: Runners-up.
2. Central Africa (UNIFFAC):
DR Congo: Regional champions.
Congo: Runners-up.
3. Southern Africa (COSAFA):
South Africa: Regional champions.
Zambia: Runners-up.
4. West Africa (WAFU B):
Nigeria: Regional champions.
Ghana: Runners-up
5. East Africa (CECAFA):
Tanzania: Regional champions.
Kenya: Runners-up.
Remaining Spots
Two spots are still up for North Africa (UNAF).
As the qualifiers continue, the race to secure these final spots intensifies, which indicates more excitement.
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