TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifier in Numbers

We tally up all the facts and figures around the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2026 | COSAFA Qualifier that will be played in Harare, Zimbabwe from September 11-20.

0 – No nation from the COSAFA region has managed to lift the CAF Under-17 Cup of Nations in the past. South Africa came closest when they picked up a silver medal in 2015. Angola took home bronze in 2019. South Africa and Zambia were due to take part in the 2021 event in Morocco, but it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

3 – The biggest winning margin in the final of the competition is 3-0, when Malawi beat South Africa in 2001 and Zambia defeated Mauritius in 2017.

3 – Three previous finals have gone to penalties as Zimbabwe edged South Africa (2007), Namibia did likewise (2016) and South Africa finally won a shoot-out in 2020, beating Zambia.

6 – Zimbabwe will become the seventh host of the COSAFA Men’s Under-17 Championship. South Africa are four-time hosts, while Malawi and Mauritius have staged the competition three times. Namibia and Lesotho have hosted once each.

8 – South Africa have reached the greatest number of finals in this age-group with eight but have only won in three of those. They beat Mozambique (1994), Eswatini (2002) and Zambia (2020), but have lost to Malawi (2001), Zimbabwe (2007), Namibia (2016), Angola (2018) and Zambia (2022).

7 – The Golden Boot winner the last time the competition was played in 2024 was Zambia’s Abel Nyirongo, who scored seven goals in five games.

12 – There have been 12 other tournaments played loosely under the banner of a regional Men’s Under-17 championship. Zambia (2017, 2019, 2022 and 2024) have won four of those, including last year, while South Africa are three-time champions (1994, 2002 and 2020). Angola (2018 & 2021) are next on the list. Malawi claimed success in 2001. Zimbabwe lifted the title in 2007, while Namibia were victorious in 2016.

12 – There will be 12 teams entered into the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025 | COSAFA Qualifier, namely Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The teams have been split into three groups of four each.

14 – The COSAFA Under-17 Championship is open to all 14 of the nations that make up the Southern African regional body.

70 – There were 70 goals scored in the 21 games played in the last event staged in 2024, a healthy 3.33 goals per game.

2009 – For players to be eligible for the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Algeria, they must have been born on or after January 1, 2009.