The Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducted the final draw for the TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2025 on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
The draw, assisted by former Mali international Adama Coulibaly and Senegalese legend Souleymane Camara, set the stage for the tournament scheduled from April 26 to May 18, 2025.
Group Allocations:
– Group A:
– Côte d’Ivoire (hosts)
– Democratic Republic of Congo
– Ghana
– Tanzania
– UNIFFAC 2* (The identity of the second team from the UNIFFAC region is pending determination following Congo’s FIFA suspension)
– Group B:
– Nigeria
– Egypt
– South Africa
– Morocco
– Group C:
– Senegal (defending champions)
– Zambia
– Kenya
– Sierra Leone
The tournament’s format comprises three groups, with Group A containing five teams and Groups B and C featuring four teams each.
The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarter-finals, leading to knockout stages culminating in the final on May 18, 2025.
This championship also serves as a qualifier for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, with the four semi-finalists earning automatic spots in the global tournament.
Defending champions Senegal aim to retain their title, while Nigeria, the most successful team in the tournament’s history with seven titles, seeks to add another to their collection.
Ghana, with four titles, aspires to reclaim glory, having been the first African team to win the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2009. Other former champions, including Egypt, Morocco, and Zambia, are also poised to make significant impacts. Hosts Côte d’Ivoire will leverage home advantage to vie for their first title.
The tournament promises thrilling matches as Africa’s top youth teams compete for continental supremacy and a chance to showcase their talents on the world stage.
