TotalEnergies CAF U20 AFCON 2025 | COSAFA Qualifier in numbers

The TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations 2025 | COSAFA Qualifier is to be staged in Maputo, Mozambique from September 26-October 5 as the top young talent in the region gathers to showcase their potential and book their place at the continental finals.

We round up the numbers on the rich 41-year history of the competition in various guises.

0 – The only final to finish goalless was in 2001 when Zambia needed a penalty shoot-out to beat Angola 5-3 on spot-kicks. The only other final to go to a shoot-out was in 2018 when South Africa defeated Zimbabwe 4-3 after a 1-1 draw.

1 – This will be the first time ever that Mozambique host the prestigious competition.

1 – This year’s hosts Mozambique were the top side in 2020 as they defeated Namibia 1-0 in the final to claim a first ever COSAFA title in any age-group. They reached the final again in 2022 but fell to Zambia and will start again with a new generation of talent this year.

2 – This year’s Championship will serve as a zonal qualifier for the 2025 CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, with the two finalists in the competition booking their place at the continental showpiece event.

2 – The highest finish for any guest nation was the silver medal Kenya won in 2013 when they lost 2-0 to South Africa in the final. There are no guests teams in this year’s field as it is a continental qualifier.

3 – Angola lost three finals in a row between 2000 and 2002. They made the deciding match in 2011 but lost once more. They have yet to win the regional title.

4 – Zambia hold the record for the most title wins in a row, four, in the championships that were played between 1993 and 1999.

5 – Holders Zambia have won five of the last nine COSAFA Men’s Under-20 Championships played, with South Africa breaking their run in 2013, 2017 and 2018, and Mozambique in 2020.

5 – Only five nations have won the COSAFA Under-20 Championships – Zambia (12 times), South Africa (8), Zimbabwe (6), Madagascar (1) and Mozambique (1).

7 – The biggest victories in the competition have been by seven-goal margins and have all come since 2020! South Africa defeated Lesotho 7-0 (2020), hosts Eswatini beat Mauritius by the same scoreline (2022) and Angola thumped Seychelles 8-1 (2022). Those nine goals are the most ever scored in a single game.

9 – Angola’s Ambrosini Salvador finished top-scorer at the 2019 COSAFA Men’s Under-20 Championships with six goals, and then joint top-scorer in 2020 with a further three. He has nine goals in two editions. Another Angolan, Danilson Makokisa, was the leading scorer the last time the tournament was played in 2022. He netted five goals.

9 – The most number of goals scored in a single final – South Africa defeated Zambia 5-4 in 2004!

12 – The number of titles won by current holders Zambia, the most successful nation in the history of the COSAFA Under-20 Championships.

12 – The number of teams that are scheduled to compete in this year’s Championships – Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

73 – The number of goals scored at the last COSAFA Men’s Under-20 Championships in 2022 in just 22 games, with an average of 3.32 goals per game.

1983 – The first time a regional competition was staged for junior teams. It was won by Zambia.

2000 – The first time a nation other than Zambia or Zimbabwe lifted the trophy – South Africa claimed the prize in 2000.

2005 – Madagascar became just the fourth country to lift the trophy after Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.