2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers: 14 teams advance to the second round

Whether on paper or after a struggle on the pitch, 14 countries continue their journey towards Egypt

Africa Today at 05:36

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2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers: 14 teams advance to the second round

The first chapter of the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers has come to an end. Fourteen teams secured their places in the next round after an opening stage marked by withdrawals and dramatic twists.

Four teams delighted to qualify on paper

The picture became clear before a ball was kicked. Withdrawals opened the way for four countries. Madagascar qualified after Comoros pulled out, Burkina Faso benefited from Sierra Leone's withdrawal, Equatorial Guinea advanced following São Tomé and Príncipe's withdrawal, while Ethiopia progressed without playing a match against Uganda.

🎥 Et si on se revoyait en 4K sur le 2ᵉ but des Léopards U23 ? Au stade du TP Mazembe, C.Mapendo surgit d’une tête rageuse et inscrit le but du 2-0 face à la Mauritanie 🇲🇷 Un but qui offre la qualification aux Léopards U23 !
— RDC ZONE (@RDCZONE243) October 6, 2026

Angola shine as DR Congo turn everything around

Where the competition was intense, the spectacle delivered. Angola gave Namibia no chance. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, the Palancas Negras hit their opponents for five unanswered goals in the return leg.

Libya followed the same path against Togo: a 1-1 draw in Lomé, followed by a clear 3-1 home victory to seal qualification.

The biggest surprise came in Lubumbashi. After DR Congo had fallen behind following a 1-0 defeat in Nouakchott, they turned the tie around against Mauritania and won 2-0 to continue their campaign.

Tunisia also struggled against Benin. After the Carthage Eagles won the first leg 2-0, they lost the return leg 1-0 in Lomé without losing sight of their main objective.

[EN U23 🇹🇳] FIN DU MATCH RETOUR CONTRE LE BÉNIN 🏆 Éliminatoires de la CAN U23 2027 🇧🇯 Bénin U23 1–0 Tunisie U23 🇹🇳 📊 Score cumulé : Bénin 1–2 Tunisie 🇹🇳 Malgré cette défaite au match retour, les Aigles de Carthage s’imposent 2-1 sur l’ensemble des deux rencontres https://t.co/G0ydOrXGuZ
— Les Talents Tunisiens 🇹🇳🇵🇸 (@les_ltt) October 5, 2026

South Sudan also endured a difficult tie against Djibouti. After the Bright Stars won the first leg 3-0, they lost the return leg 2-1 to the under-23 Sharks, who were seeking revenge.

List of teams qualified for the second round of the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers: