Author: Football Sierra Leone

CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 Final Draw confirmed
by Football Sierra Leone

CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 Final Draw confirmed

A North African showdown is on the horizon at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026.

The host nation, Morocco, has been drawn into Group A alongside Tunisia, Egypt, and Ethiopia for the finals, which will take place from May 13 to June 2, 2026, at the Mohammed VI Complex in Rabat.

The Final Draw was held at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday, featuring current African stars like Fiston Mayele (Pyramids FC and DR Congo), Aliou Dieng (Al Ahly and Mali), and Ahmed Belhadji (Ceramica Cleopatra and Morocco), who helped kick off the event.

With only the top two teams from each group moving on to the quarter-finals, this competitive group echoes the recent UNAF qualifiers in Libya, which Morocco won.

In Group B, former champions Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon will square off against Uganda and debutants DR Congo. Two-time winners Cameroon claimed the title as recently as 2019, while Côte d’Ivoire celebrated their triumph in 2013.

Meanwhile, last year’s runners-up, Mali, find themselves in Group C, where they will face Southern African nations Angola and Mozambique, along with East African side Tanzania. Mali previously lifted the trophy in 2015 and 2017.

Finally, Group D features the reigning champions, Senegal, who will take on the 2015 silver medalists, South Africa, Algeria, and two-time winners Ghana. Ghana enjoyed success as champions in 1995 and 1999.

The eight teams that reach the quarter-finals will automatically qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup, set to be hosted in Qatar later that year. Additionally, the third-placed teams in each group will compete in two playoff matches to determine the final two qualifiers.

Ten African nations will again be present at the global finals. 

TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026:

GROUP A: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia

Groupe B: Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroun, Ouganda, RDC

GROUP C: Mali, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique 

GROUP D: Senegal, South Africa, Algeria, Ghana 
Kalidou Koulibaly could announce international retirement from the World Cup
by Football Sierra Leone

Kalidou Koulibaly could announce his international retirement from the World Cup

Kalidou Koulibaly has hinted that the upcoming 2026 World Cup might be the last opportunity for Senegal fans to see him wearing the national team colours.

The 34-year-old centre-back made his debut for the Lions of Teranga against Namibia on September 5, 2015, and since then, he has accumulated over 100 caps for his country, often serving as captain.

Koulibaly secured his place in Senegalese history when he led Aliou Cisse’s team to their first Africa Cup of Nations title in February 2022, and he celebrated a second victory this year.

However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently stripped Senegal of the trophy, declaring Morocco the champions after ruling that Pape Thiaw’s squad had forfeited the final match by leaving the field for 16 minutes.

As he gears up to captain the Lions of Teranga once again at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, Koulibaly acknowledges it may be time to pass the torch to younger players after this tournament.

“I believe this will be my last World Cup; I can’t see myself playing when I’m 39,” he shared in an interview with the Senegalese website ‘Media Car’. “There are young talents eager to represent the national team, and they deserve their chance. We’ll see what unfolds after the World Cup.

“When the moment is right, we’ll hand over the baton. I haven’t completely made up my mind yet; I have a general idea, but we’ll just have to wait and see. I prefer not to dwell too much on the future, but it’s clear that I’m approaching the end of my journey.”

Samson Adamu, Caf's competitions director, will assume the role of acting general secretary.
by Football Sierra Leone

CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba resigns

Samson Adamu, Caf’s competitions director in the photo, will assume the role of acting general secretary following the resignation of General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba

The general secretary of the Confederation of African Football (Caf), Veron Mosengo-Omba, has resigned amid a tumultuous period for football in Africa.

His retirement follows the controversial decision to strip Senegal of hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and the last-minute postponement of the women’s tournament, plunging CAF into a crisis of confidence.

In his resignation statement, Mosengo-Omba noted, “Now that I’ve cleared the doubts some have cast on me, I can step down with peace of mind, knowing I leave Caf better positioned than ever.”

The 66-year-old faced criticism for extending his tenure past the organisation’s mandatory retirement age of 63 and was accused of creating a toxic work environment, although an investigation found no wrongdoing.

Originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mosengo-Omba has served as General Secretary since March 2021. Samson Adamu, Caf’s competitions director, will assume the role of acting general secretary.

CAF is also awaiting a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding Senegal’s appeal against losing the Afcon title, which followed a controversial match against Morocco, where Senegal was declared to have forfeited after walking off the field in protest.

Morocco draw with Ecuador in first friendly under new coach
by Football Sierra Leone

Morocco draw with Ecuador in first friendly under new coach

The Morocco national football team played to a 1-1 draw against Ecuador in their first friendly match of March, marking an important step in their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Held at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, this match was notable for being the debut of new head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, who recently took over from Walid Regragui. Ecuador struck first in the 48th minute when John Yeboah linked up well with Gonzalo Plata before firing a shot from inside the box into the net.

Morocco answered back in the 59th minute when Neil El Aynaoui was fouled in the penalty area by Plata. The referee awarded a penalty, which El Aynaoui took in the 62nd minute. Though the Ecuadorian goalkeeper saved the initial shot, the ball rebounded to Rabii Hrimat, who found the net, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review indicated encroachment.

The Atlas Lions finally found their equalizer in the 88th minute. A perfectly delivered corner kick from Achraf Hakimi was met with a powerful header from El Aynaoui, who scored his first international goal and leveled the match before it ended in a 1-1 draw.

Looking ahead, Morocco is set to face the Paraguay national team in another friendly on March 31. They’ve been placed in Group C for the World Cup, where they’ll compete against Brazil, Haiti, and Scotland.

Burundi thrash Chad in first leg AFCON 2027 preliminary qualifier
by Football Sierra Leone

Burundi thrash Chad in AFCON 2027 preliminary qualifier first leg

Burundi took a strong step towards the next round of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers with a convincing 4-0 away win against Chad in the first leg on Friday.

Goals from Jordi Liongola, Bienvenue Kanakimana, Abdoul Karim, and Mossi Nduwumwe led Burundi to a decisive 4-0 victory over Chad at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno in N’Djamena.

This strong performance gives Burundi a significant advantage ahead of the return leg in Bujumbura as they aim for progression to the group stage qualifiers for the upcoming continental finals in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Burundi quickly took the lead with Liongola’s goal in the sixth minute, followed by Kanakimana in the 32nd. Despite Chad’s efforts, Burundi maintained control, with Karim scoring in the 63rd minute and Nduwumwe adding a fourth in the 74th.

In another match, Somalia and Mauritius ended in a goalless draw. The preliminary round marks the start of the journey to the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027, with Burundi heading into the second leg with confidence, while Chad faces a daunting challenge to reverse the deficit.