Ghana’s Black Starlets have been drawn in Group D alongside Senegal, South Africa and Algeria for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026, scheduled to take place in Morocco from April 25, 2026.
The Starlets are set to face some of the continent’s formidable sides at this level following the draw held on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Cairo at the Confederation of African Football.
In preparation for the tournament, the team has been engaged in a series of friendly matches aimed at fine-tuning the squad, with the objective of reaching the latter stages of the competition.
Their most recent outing ended in a defeat to Heart of Lions at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday. They are also scheduled to face Vision FC and Accra Hearts of Oak before departing for Morocco.
Ghana’s U-17 side boasts a proud yet inconsistent history in the competition, having made seven appearances since the tournament adopted its modern finals format in 1995.
The Black Starlets remain one of Africa’s traditional powerhouses at this level and have used strong performances to launch the careers of players such as Stephen Appiah, who rose to prominence after the 1995 edition.
However, the team has missed several tournaments including 2001, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2015 (due to disqualification), 2019 and 2023 because of qualification setbacks and other challenges.
The TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON Morocco 2026 will serve as a platform for the continent’s top emerging talents to compete for continental honours and secure one of Africa’s 10 slots at the FIFA U-17 World Cup later this year.
The tournament will feature 16 teams, with the eight quarter-finalists qualifying automatically for the World Cup, while two additional spots will be determined through play-off matches involving the four best third-placed teams from the group stage.
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