U-17 AFCON: Senegal coach Lamine Sane eyes trophy in Morocco

Senegal U17 national team head coach Lamine Sané has promised to help the young Lions return home with the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations trophy.

Morocco will host the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations from May 13 to June 2, serving as the qualifying tournament for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.

📋 La liste des 23 joueurs sélectionnés par le coach Lamine Sané pour la CAN U17, prévue du 13 mai au 2 juin 2026 au Maroc.

Nos Lionceaux rejoindront la Tunisie ce mardi, où ils disputeront un match amical contre la sélection tunisienne, avant de s’envoler pour le Maroc. pic.twitter.com/7XbaQi1Osy

— Equipe du Sénégal (@GaindeYi) May 4, 2026

As defending champions, Morocco leads Group A. The tournament, featuring 16 teams, will send 10 African representatives to the expanded FIFA U-17 World Cup. Senegal have been drawn in Group D alongside South Africa, Algeria, and Ghana.

Senegal aim is to become champions

“So, I want to thank you for that. First of all, I wanted to thank you for the trust you have placed in me,” said Sane as quoted by Wiw Sport.

“I know the position was highly sought after and that there were many candidates, and the choice that was made was to bring me back. I am fortunate to have come here a year and a half ago and to have met a fantastic staff who have been doing a great job for several years.

“And here I am, fortunate to be able to rejoin them and work with them, despite my limited international experience. I went to France to study, to get my coaching qualifications, so that I could contribute to Senegalese football here.

I was fortunate enough to do that as a player. Today, it’s a new experience as a coach.”

Sane added: “We’re going to the AFCON. And I can guarantee you that with all the young players we’ve seen over these past two weeks, I think we’ve made the right choice with the support of the federation staff.

“With these young players, we’re going to try to make them great champions. We know the road will be tough; we’re not going into hostile territory in Morocco, but we’re going to focus on the pitch and try, God willing, to go as far as possible and bring home the Cup.”

Opening match will see Morocco vs. Tunisia on May 13, at Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

The top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed teams (totaling 10) qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

AFCON U-17 groups;

• Group A: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia
• Group B: Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Uganda, DR Congo
• Group C: Mali, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique
• Group D: Senegal, South Africa, Algeria, Ghana