Senegal will defend their CAN U17 title in 2027 after reaching the final of the UFOA-A qualifying tournament with a convincing 3-0 victory over Guinea.
The Young Lions became one of the first teams to confirm their place at next year’s finals, alongside Gambia. The competition will again be staged in Morocco, where Senegal won the continental title in 2026.
A place in the UFOA-A final was enough to secure qualification, and Senegal made certain of it with a dominant performance against Guinea in the semi-final.
Their victory fulfilled the team’s initial objective of ensuring they can return to defend their crown. Senegal lifted the trophy on Moroccan soil this year and will now go back to the same country in an attempt to retain it.
Before then, they will compete for regional honours. Senegal are due to face Gambia in the UFOA-A qualifying final at Stade Leopold-Sedar-Senghor on Sunday, 20 September.
Gambia also booked their place at the CAN U17 finals by beating Liberia 2-1 in the other semi-final. The two teams join Morocco, who qualify automatically as hosts, among the first confirmed participants for the 2027 tournament.
Senegal’s qualification carries added significance because Morocco has again been selected to stage the competition.
CAF awarded the Kingdom hosting rights for the 2027 edition only a few months after Senegal’s triumph there. Sixteen teams are expected to take part, with places at the 2027 U17 World Cup in Qatar also at stake.
The remaining teams will be determined through the various regional qualifying tournaments.
The UNAF zone, however, will have to wait before beginning its campaign. Its qualifying tournament, originally scheduled to take place in Tunisia from 26 September to 2 October, has been postponed until 9-17 November.
Morocco’s inclusion in that competition, despite already qualifying as hosts, has increased the field to five teams. They will be joined by Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.
The revised schedule has forced Algeria manager Karim Ziani to adjust his preparations. The Young Fennecs had initially been expected to face three opponents in September, but will now have to wait almost two additional months before starting their campaign with a highly anticipated Algeria-Morocco fixture.
While North Africa’s qualifying process remains on hold, Senegal can already begin planning for another trip to Morocco. The defending champions will be there to protect their title.