Rabat — Morocco, the host of U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), now knows the nations they will meet in the group stage.
The Atlas Cubs will face Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia in Group A. None of these teams have ever gone past the first round in this competition. Zambia (2015, 2023) and Tanzania (2017, 2019) have played twice before, while Uganda made its only appearance in 2019.
Elsewhere, Group B includes Burkina Faso, South Africa, Egypt, and Central African Republic.
Group C features Senegal, Gambia, Somalia, and Tunisia, while Mali, Angola, Ivory Coast, and another Central African team make up Group D.
Morocco came so close to winning the title in the 2023 AFCON. They had a strong run, making it all the way to the final. Along the way, they topped their group, knocked out the hosts Algeria in the quarter-finals, and then beat Mali in the semis.
In the final, they faced a strong Senegal side and even scored first. But Senegal fought back to eventually win 2-1, taking home their first-ever U17 AFCON title.
Morocco has a big shot at redemption as the country hosts the continental tournament. After coming so close last time, the Moroccan team will be more determined than ever to win the trophy on their own ground.
