Confederation of African Football has intensified preparations for the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2026 with a promotional countdown post shared via its official X account.
Softfootball understands that the tournament will be hosted in Morocco from May 13 to June 2, featuring 16 teams battling for continental glory. A short video released by CAF shows the official U-17 trophy placed on a pitch in front of a goal net, overlaid with bold animated “14 DAYS” text and subtle pixel-style visuals.
They posted:
Ticking closer, 14 days untill #TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 kicks off!
The build-up also revisits the controversy surrounding the previous edition, where Morocco were officially declared champions after a successful appeal overturned Senegal’s earlier title win. The ruling awarded Morocco a 3–0 result, confirming them as champions months after the tournament initially concluded.
CAF also highlighted emerging star Ziyad Baha, showcasing his goals, celebrations, and technical ability from the previous competition. The Spain-born forward, who represents Morocco at youth level, gained recognition for multiple Man of the Match performances and has since joined the U-17 setup at Olympique de Marseille.
The campaign aims to build excitement by asking fans which new talents will define the next chapter of the competition.
However, some reactions have been critical, with a fan by name Eray Can Gencer questioning the absence of active ticket sales less than two weeks before kickoff, comparing the situation to more organized tournaments hosted by Qatar.
He said:
There are less than two weeks left until the tournament starts, yet ticket sales are still not active. This is completely unacceptable. Qatar handled this process in a much more systematic and organized way.
Meanwhile, Samson Adamu has been appointed Acting General Secretary of CAF.
This marked a significant milestone and reinforcing his growing influence in African football administration.
