U17 AFCON Matchday One: Results, Goalscorers and Group Standings

Rabat – The opening day of the 2026 U17 AFCON in Morocco delivered a little bit of everything: tense contests, standout performances, and strong opening statements.

Hosts and defending champions Morocco entered the tournament hoping to continue the momentum of last year’s historic title win, and several traditional powers and rising teams opened their campaigns under very different circumstances.

Through the lens of #TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 Matchday 1. 📸 pic.twitter.com/fztyWkZAOV

— CAF Online (@CAF_Online) May 15, 2026

Morocco held and early standings begin to take shape

Group A began with a tense scoreless draw between Egypt and Ethiopia.

Despite enjoying larger spells of possession, Egypt struggled to unlock an organized Ethiopian side that remained compact throughout the match. Mohamed Attia and Ahmed Safwat produced flashes of creativity, while Ethiopia threatened through quick transitions led by Dawit Kassaw Yirdaw, but neither side found a breakthrough.

Later in the evening, hosts Morocco launched their title defense against Tunisia in Rabat in front of a packed home crowd.

The match ended 1-1, but one player left a particularly strong impression. Morocco’s rising star Ibrahim Rabbaj was named Man of the Match by CAF’s Technical Study Group after repeatedly unsettling Tunisia across the full 90 minutes.

The teenager, already attracting interest from several European clubs, became one of the standout stories of the opening day.

Group A remains completely open after the first round, with all four teams level on points:

Tunisia – 1 point
2. Morocco – 1 point
3. Egypt – 1 point
4. Ethiopia – 1 point

In Group B, Côte d’Ivoire produced one of the strongest opening performances of the tournament with a composed 2-0 win over Cameroon.

Uganda, meanwhile, recorded the biggest result of the opening round after a commanding 3-0 win over DR Congo, moving to the top of Group B.

The standings now look as follows:

Uganda – 3 points
2. Côte d’Ivoire – 3 points
3. Cameroon – 0 points
4. DR Congo – 0 points

Elsewhere, Tanzania made a strong start in Group C and currently sits alone at the top of the standings.

Tanzania – 3 points
2. Mali – 1 point
3. Angola – 1 point
4. Mozambique – 0 points

In Group D, South Africa was the only team to start with a victory.

South Africa – 3 points
2. Algeria – 1 point
3. Ghana – 1 point
4. Senegal – 0 points

The first round already offered a few early lessons.

Some nations have taken an important first step toward qualification and others will need a response as soon as Matchday Two on Saturday to avoid putting themselves under pressure.

This year, Morocco is defending the first U17 AFCON crown in their history after defeating Mali on penalties in 2025. The competition itself has become one of Africa’s most important showcases for emerging talent. Scouts from major clubs across Europe are closely following the tournament.