Sierra Leone lost 2-0 to The Gambia in the semi-final of the WAFU A U20 AFCON qualifiers at the Stade Mamadou Konate in Bamako, Mali.

Shooting Stars needed a win to keep their hopes alive, but they were outplayed by a strong Gambian team that moved on to the final. As a result, Sierra Leone will not compete in the 2027 U20 AFCON in Ghana.

The Gambia and Guinea will represent the West African Football Union A in the 2027 U20 African Cup of Nations as they join the 10 other teams already qualified for the CAN U20 finals. Morocco and Egypt qualified from North Africa, while Ghana and Burkina Faso came from West Africa B.

Sudan and Tanzania will represent East Africa, with South Africa and Mozambique qualifying from Southern Africa. Cameroon and the Central African Republic complete the list of teams from Central Africa.

The CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations will be played in Ghana in 2027