U-20 Africa Cup of Nations
Organising body | CAF |
---|---|
Founded |
|
Region | Africa |
Number of teams | 12 |
Current champions | Senegal (1st title) |
Most successful team(s) | Nigeria (7 titles) |
2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations |
Tournament editions |
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The U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, known for short as the U-20 AFCON and for sponsorship purposes as TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, previously known as the African Youth Championship and the African U-20 Championship, is the biennial international youth football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for its nations consisting of players under the age of 20. It serves as the African qualification tournament for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
History
[edit]In 1979, FIFA created a world championship for upcoming footballers, causing CAF to install a home-and-away qualification tournament for African nations called the African Youth Championship which also crowned the tournament's champions. In 1991, CAF upgraded the tournament into a full-scale tournament contested by 8 in a chosen host nation.
CAF changed the name of this competition to the African U-20 Championship for the 2011 edition so as to distinguish it from the U-17 competition. On 6 August 2015, the CAF Executive Committee decided to change the tournament's name to the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in line with the flagship Africa Cup of Nations tournament.[1] However, the name on the official competition logo after 2015 reads as the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
On 21 July 2016, French energy and petroleum giant TotalEnergies (formerly Total S.A.) secured an 8-year sponsorship package from CAF to support its competitions.[2][3]
Since the 2021 edition, the tournament has been contested by 12 teams.[4]
Tournament summary
[edit]African Youth Championship (Qualification)
[edit]Edition | Year | Host nation | Qualification 1 | Qualification 2 | World Cup host | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
To World Cup | Score | Runner-up | To World Cup | Score | Runner-up | |||||||||
1 | 1977 | Home sites | Morocco |
1–0 | Guinea |
Ivory Coast |
0–1 | Egypt |
Tunisia | |||||
3–0 | 3–2 (abd) |
Edition | Year | Host nation | Final | Third Place | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Champion | Score | Second Place | |||||||
2 | 1979 | Home sites | Algeria |
2–1 | Guinea |
Ethiopia |
Nigeria | ||
2–3 | |||||||||
3 | 1981 | Home sites | Egypt |
2–0 | Cameroon |
Algeria |
Nigeria | ||
1–1 | |||||||||
4 | 1983 | Home sites | Nigeria |
2–2 | Ivory Coast |
Algeria |
Guinea | ||
2–1 | |||||||||
5 | 1985 | Home sites | Nigeria |
1–1 | Tunisia |
Ivory Coast |
Ethiopia | ||
2–1 | |||||||||
6 | 1987 | Home sites | Nigeria |
2–1 | Togo |
Morocco |
Somalia | ||
3–0 | |||||||||
7 | 1989 | Home sites | Nigeria |
2–0 | Mali |
Algeria |
Ivory Coast | ||
2–1 |
African Youth Championship (Host)
[edit]Edition | Year | Host nation | Final | Third Place Match | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Champion | Score | Second Place | Third Place | Score | Fourth Place | |||||
8 | 1991 | Egypt | Egypt |
2–1 | Ivory Coast |
Ghana |
2–0 | Zambia | ||
9 | 1993 | Mauritius | Ghana |
2–0 | Cameroon |
Egypt |
3–0 | Ethiopia | ||
10 | 1995 | Nigeria | Cameroon |
4–0 | Burundi |
Nigeria |
1–0 | Mali | ||
11 | 1997 | Morocco | Morocco |
1–0 | South Africa |
Ivory Coast |
2–0 | Ghana | ||
12 | 1999 | Ghana | Ghana |
1–0 | Nigeria |
Cameroon |
2–1 | Zambia | ||
13 | 2001 | Ethiopia | Angola |
2–0 | Ghana |
Egypt |
2–0 | Ethiopia | ||
14 | 2003 | Burkina Faso | Egypt |
4–3 (a.e.t.) | Ivory Coast |
Mali |
1–1 (5–4 p) | Burkina Faso | ||
15 | 2005 | Benin | Nigeria |
2–0 | Egypt |
Benin |
1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–3 p) |
Morocco | ||
16 | 2007 | Republic of the Congo | Congo |
1–0 | Nigeria |
Gambia |
3–1 | Zambia | ||
17 | 2009 | Rwanda | Ghana |
2–0 | Cameroon |
Nigeria |
2–1 | South Africa |
African U-20 Championship
[edit]Edition | Year | Host nation | Final | Third Place Match | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Champion | Score | Second Place | Third Place | Score | Fourth Place | |||||
18 | 2011[5] | South Africa | Nigeria |
3–2 (a.e.t.) | Cameroon |
Egypt |
1–0 | Mali | ||
19 | 2013 | Algeria | Egypt |
1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p) |
Ghana |
Nigeria |
2–1 | Mali | ||
20 | 2015 | Senegal[6] | Nigeria |
1–0 | Senegal |
Ghana |
3–1 | Mali |
U-20 Africa Cup of Nations
[edit]Edition | Year | Host nation | Final | Third Place Match | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Champion | Score | Second Place | Third Place | Score | Fourth Place | |||||
21 | 2017 | Zambia | Zambia |
2–0 | Senegal |
Guinea |
2–1 | South Africa | ||
22 | 2019 | Niger[7] | Mali |
1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–2 p) |
Senegal |
South Africa |
0–0 (5–3 p) |
Nigeria | ||
23 | 2021 | Mauritania[8][9] | Ghana |
2–0 | Uganda |
Gambia |
0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p) |
Tunisia | ||
24 | 2023 | Egypt[10] | Senegal |
2–0 | Gambia |
Nigeria |
4–0 | Tunisia | ||
25 | 2025 | – | – |
Performance by nation
[edit]Rank | Team | Champions | Runners-up | Third-place | Fourth-place | Semi-finalists |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Nigeria | 7 (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, 2015) | 2 (1999, 2007) | 4 (1995*, 2009, 2013, 2023) | 1 (2019) | 2 (1979, 1981) |
2 | Ghana | 4 (1993, 1999*, 2009, 2021) | 2 (2001, 2013) | 2 (1991, 2015) | 1 (1997) | – |
3 | Egypt | 4 (1981, 1991*, 2003, 2013) | 1 (2005) | 3 (1993, 2001, 2011) | – | – |
4 | Cameroon | 1 (1995) | 4 (1981, 1993, 2009, 2011) | 1 (1999) | – | – |
5 | Senegal | 1 (2023) | 3 (2015*, 2017, 2019) | – | – | – |
6 | Mali | 1 (2019) | 1 (1989) | 1 (2003) | 4 (1995, 2011, 2013, 2015) | – |
7 | Zambia | 1 (2017*) | – | – | 3 (1991, 1999, 2007) | – |
8 | Algeria | 1 (1979) | – | – | – | 3 (1981, 1983, 1989) |
9 | Morocco | 1 (1997*) | – | – | 1 (2005) | 1 (1987) |
10 | Angola | 1 (2001) | – | – | – | – |
Congo | 1 (2007*) | – | – | – | – | |
12 | Ivory Coast | – | 3 (1983, 1991, 2003) | 1 (1997) | – | 2 (1985, 1989) |
13 | Gambia | – | 1 (2023) | 2 (2007, 2021) | – | – |
14 | South Africa | – | 1 (1997) | 1 (2019) | 2 (2009, 2017) | – |
15 | Guinea | – | 1 (1979) | 1 (2017) | – | 1 (1983) |
16 | Tunisia | – | 1 (1985) | – | 2 (2021, 2023) | – |
17 | Togo | – | 1 (1987) | – | – | – |
Burundi | – | 1 (1995) | – | – | – | |
Uganda | – | 1 (2021) | – | – | – | |
20 | Benin | – | – | 1 (2005*) | – | – |
21 | Ethiopia | – | – | – | 2 (1993, 2001*) | 2 (1979, 1985) |
22 | Somalia | – | – | – | – | 1 (1987) |
23 | Burkina Faso | – | – | – | 1 (2003*) | – |
* = As hosts
Participating nations
[edit]Team | 1979 |
1981 |
1983 |
1985 |
1987 |
1989 |
1991 |
1993 |
1995 |
1997 |
1999 |
2001 |
2003 |
2005 |
2007 |
2009 |
2011 |
2013 |
2015 |
2017 |
2019 |
2021 |
2023 |
2025 |
Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Algeria | 1st | SF | SF | 1R | × | SF | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | × | • | • | • | • | 6 | ||
Angola | × | × | 1R | 1R | × | PR | × | × | • | • | GS | 1st | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 6 |
Benin | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | • | × | × | × | 3rd | × | • | • | GS | • | × | • | • | QF | • | 3 |
Burkina Faso | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | × | • | 4th | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | GS | QF | • | • | 4 |
Burundi | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 2nd | • | × | • | × | • | • | • | × | • | • | GS | • | • | • | 2 | |
Cameroon | 2R | 2nd | QF | QF | 1R | 1R | GS | 2nd | 1st | • | 3rd | GS | • | • | GS | 2nd | 2nd | • | • | GS | • | QF | • | • | 16 |
Central African Republic | × | 2R | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | • | QF | GS | • | 3 |
Congo | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | 1st | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | QF | q | 4 | |
DR Congo | × | × | × | × | × | 1R | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | q | 3 |
Egypt | 1R | 1st | QF | 1R | QF | QF | 1st | 3rd | • | GS | • | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | GS | GS | 3rd | 1st | • | GS | • | × | GS | 18 | |
Equatorial Guinea | × | 2R | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | × | • | × | • | × | × | × | • | • | × | • | 1 | |
Eswatini | × | × | 1R | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1 |
Ethiopia | SF | 1R | × | SF | 1R | × | GS | 4th | • | • | • | 4th | • | × | • | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | 7 |
Gabon | × | PR | 1R | × | × | QF | × | × | × | • | • | GS | × | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | × | × | • | 5 | |
Gambia | × | × | 1R | PR | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | • | × | • | 3rd | • | GS | × | • | • | 3rd | 2nd | • | 6 | |
Ghana | × | × | × | 1R | QF | 3rd | 1st | • | 4th | 1st | 2nd | GS | • | • | 1st | GS | 2nd | 3rd | • | GS | 1st | • | q | 15 | |
Guinea | 2nd | 1R | SF | QF | 1R | 1R | × | GS | • | GS | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 3rd | • | • | • | • | 9 | |
Ivory Coast | × | × | 2nd | SF | QF | SF | 2nd | × | • | 3rd | • | × | 2nd | GS | GS | GS | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | 11 |
Kenya | 1R | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | • | × | • | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | × | q | 2 | |
Lesotho | × | × | × | × | × | QF | • | × | • | × | • | • | × | GS | • | • | GS | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | 3 |
Liberia | × | × | × | × | PR | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | • | × | • | • | • | • | × | • | • | 1 | |
Libya | 1R | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1 | |
Malawi | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | GS | • | × | × | • | • | • | × | • | × | • | • | • | • | 1 |
Mali | × | × | × | × | × | 2nd | • | • | 4th | GS | GS | GS | 3rd | GS | • | GS | 4th | 4th | 4th | GS | 1st | • | • | • | 13 |
Mauritania | × | 1R | × | × | 1R | × | • | • | × | • | × | × | × | × | • | • | × | • | • | • | • | GS | • | × | 3 |
Mauritius | 2R | × | × | × | × | × | × | GS | GS | • | × | • | × | × | • | • | • | • | × | • | • | × | • | × | 3 |
Morocco | 2R | 1R | QF | QF | SF | 1R | • | GS | • | 1st | • | • | 4th | GS | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | QF | • | 11 | |
Mozambique | × | × | × | PR | QF | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | GS | • | 4 |
Namibia | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | ��� | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | • | • | 1 |
Niger | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | • | × | × | × | × | • | • | × | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | 1 | |
Nigeria | SF | SF | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | × | GS | 3rd | • | 2nd | GS | • | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | 1st | • | 4th | • | 3rd | q | 19 |
Rwanda | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | × | × | • | 1 |
Senegal | × | × | PR | × | × | PR | • | GS | GS | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | • | 1st | q | 9 |
Sierra Leone | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | • | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | q | 1 |
Somalia | × | × | × | × | SF | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | × | × | 1 |
South Africa | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | 2nd | • | GS | GS | • | • | 4th | GS | • | GS | 4th | 3rd | • | • | q | 9 |
South Sudan | Country didn't exist: part of Sudan | × | × | × | • | • | QF | • | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
Sudan | × | × | 1R | 1R | × | × | × | × | • | GS | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | GS | • | • | • | • | 4 |
Tanzania | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | × | × | × | • | • | • | × | • | GS | • | q | 2 |
Togo | × | 1R | 1R | × | 2nd | × | × | • | • | × | • | × | • | × | • | × | • | × | • | × | • | • | • | • | 3 |
Tunisia | 2R | 2R | 1R | 2nd | QF | 1R | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 4th | 4th | 8 | ||
Uganda | × | × | × | PR | PR | × | • | • | × | × | • | • | • | × | × | • | • | • | × | • | 2nd | QF | • | 4 | |
Zambia | × | × | × | 1R | 1R | × | 4th | × | GS | GS | 4th | • | • | • | 4th | • | • | • | GS | 1st | • | • | GS | q | 11 |
Zimbabwe | × | 2R | QF | QF | × | • | • | × | • | × | × | • | • | • | • | × | × | × | • | • | • | × | • | 3 |
- Legend
- 1st – Champions
- 2nd – Runners-up
- 3rd – Third place
- 4th – Fourth place
- SF – Semi-finals
- QF – Quarter-finals
- GS – Group stage
- PR – Preliminary round
- 1R – First round
- 2R – Second round
- q – Qualified
- — Hosts
- × – Did not enter
- • – Did not qualify
- × – Withdrew before qualification
- — Withdrew after qualification
- — Disqualified after qualification
Participating nations by year of debut
[edit]Participating nations by debut (Until 1989, counted Round 1, after 1991 counting Final 16)
Before 1989
[edit]- 1979: Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia
- 1981: Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Togo, Zimbabwe
- 1983: Angola, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Sudan, Swaziland
- 1985: Ghana, Zambia
- 1987: Somalia
- 1989: Congo, Lesotho, Mali
After 1991
[edit]- 1991: Cameroon, Egypt (hosts), Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Zambia
- 1993: Mauritius (hosts), Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal
- 1995: Burundi, Guinea, Mali
- 1997: South Africa, Sudan
- 1999: Angola, Malawi
- 2003: Burkina Faso, Gabon
- 2005: Benin (hosts), Lesotho
- 2007: Congo (hosts), Gambia
- 2009: Rwanda (hosts)
- 2011: No new team
- 2013: Algeria, DR Congo
- 2015: No new team
- 2017: No new team
- 2019: Niger (hosts)
- 2021: Central African Republic, Mauritania (hosts), Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda
- 2023: South Sudan
- 2025: Kenya, Sierra Leone
Player awards
[edit]Year | Player of the tournament | Top goalscorer | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | Moustafa Sadek | |||
1993 | ||||
1995 | ||||
1997 | Benni McCarthy | Benni McCarthy | ||
1999 | Ousmane Bangoura | |||
2001 | Pedro Mantorras | |||
2003 | Emad Moteab | |||
2005 | Mouhcine Iajour | |||
2007 | Fabrice N'Guessi[11] | Fwayo Tembo | ||
2009 | Ransford Osei | Ransford Osei | ||
2011 | Edgar Salli | Uche Nwofor | ||
2013 | Saleh Gomaa | Aminu Umar | ||
2015 | Yaw Yeboah | Musa Muhammed | ||
2017 | Patson Daka | Luther Singh | ||
2019 | Moussa N'Diaye | Youssouph Mamadou Badji | ||
2022 | Abdul Fatawu Issahaku | Derrick Kakooza | ||
2023 | Lamine Camara | Pape Diop |
FIFA U-20 World Cup performances
[edit]Team | 1977 |
1979 |
1981 |
1983 |
1985 |
1987 |
1989 |
1991 |
1993 |
1995 |
1997 |
1999 |
2001 |
2003 |
2005 |
2007 |
2009 |
2011 |
2013 |
2015 |
2017 |
2019 |
2023 |
2025 |
Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Algeria | QF | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Angola | R2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Benin | R1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Burkina Faso | R2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Burundi | R1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Cameroon | R1 | R1 | QF | R2 | R1 | R2 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Congo | R2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Egypt | QF | R1 | 3rd | R2 | R1 | R2 | R2 | R1 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
Ethiopia | R1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Gambia | R2 | R2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Ghana | 2nd | 4th | QF | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | R2 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||
Guinea | R1 | R1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Ivory Coast | R1 | R1 | R1 | R1 | R2 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
Mali | R1 | 3rd | R1 | R1 | R1 | 3rd | QF | 7 | |||||||||||||||||
Morocco | R1 | R2 | 4th | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Nigeria | R1 | 3rd | R1 | 2nd | QF | 2nd | QF | R2 | QF | R2 | R2 | R2 | QF | 13 | |||||||||||
Senegal | 4th | R2 | QF | R1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
South Africa | R1 | R2 | R1 | R1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Togo | R1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Tunisia | R1 | R1 | R2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Zambia | R1 | R2 | QF | 3 |
- Legend
|
|
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Decisions of CAF Executive Committee on 6 August 2015". CAFOnline.com. 9 August 2015. Archived from the original on 15 September 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- ^ "Total, Title Sponsor of the Africa Cup of Nations and Partner of African Football". CAFOnline.com. 21 July 2016. Archived from the original on 20 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ "Total to sponsor CAF competitions for the next eight years". africanews. 21 July 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
- ^ "CAF Holds Executive Committee Meeting ahead of CAN Total U-23 Final". CAFOnline.com. 21 November 2019. Archived from the original on 22 November 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
New formats for youth and women's competitions based on 12 teams were approved.
- ^ "Nigeria win superb Africa Youth Championship final". BBC Sport. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
Nigeria will play Cameroon in the final of the (2011) African Youth Championship in South Africa on Sunday.
- ^ "Decisions of CAF Executive Committee on hosting of Junior and Senior CAF Competitions". CAF. 27 September 2011. Archived from the original on January 1, 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
- ^ "CAF Executive Committee decisions of 26 May 2015". CAFOnline.com. 27 May 2015. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
Furthermore, the CAF Executive Committee ruled favourably on the request of the request of Niger for the CAF U-20 Championship the same year.
- ^ "CAN 2019 : un dernier sursis pour le Cameroun ?" [CAN 2019: a last reprieve for Cameroon?]. CamFoot (in French). 29 September 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
Designation of host countries for future competitions c. CAN Total U20 2021 : Mauritanie
- ^ "Decisions of CAF Executive Committee - 27 & 28 September 2018". CAFOnline.com. 29 September 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
Designation of host countries for upcoming competitions: Total U-20 AFCON 2021 : Mauritania
- ^ "Central Africa Republic and Congo Brazzaville complete TotalEnergies U20 AFCON Egypt 2023 list". CAFOnline.com. 16 December 2022. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
The TotalEnergies U20 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2023 will be played between 19 February and 11 March 2023.
- ^ "Ambitious Ondama targets Congolese triumph". FIFA. 30 April 2007. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2013.