South African Football Association has officially confirmed South Africa national under-17 football team’s decisive final Group D clash against Ghana national under-17 football team at the 2026 CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Softfootball reports.
According to SAFA’s official X post, victory against Ghana on May 20 would secure Amajimbos qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
SAFA shared:
Amajimbos go into battle against Ghana on Wednesday (20 May) in their final group stages match in the 2026 U17 AFCON tournament currently underway in Morocco. A win will see them secure a ticket to the FIFA U17 Men’s World Cup in Qatar later this year.
The accompanying promotional graphic highlighted South Africa’s Group D fixtures at the Mohammed VI Football Academy, including matches against Senegal national under-17 football team, Algeria national under-17 football team, and Ghana.
South Africa opened the tournament with an impressive victory over Senegal before suffering a 2-0 defeat against Algeria, leaving qualification hopes dependent on the final group encounter. Algeria currently top the group with four points, increasing the importance of the clash against Ghana.
SAFA also shared updates confirming that Amajimbos completed their final preparations ahead of the crucial encounter. Training photos showed the young squad in yellow kits participating in stretching drills and tactical sessions as they prepared for the 21:00 South African kickoff time.
The match carries huge significance as a win would guarantee one of CAF’s qualification places for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The build-up to the youth tournament comes as nations around the world continue unveiling squads for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, including Cristiano Ronaldo being named in Portugal national football team’s squad for his sixth World Cup appearance, while João Pedro was omitted from Brazil national football team’s final squad by manager Carlo Ancelotti.
