CAN U17: The list of winners since 1995

The Africa U-17 Cup of Nations (CAN U17) is a biennial competition organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 1995. It showcases young talents in African football and serves as a springboard to promising professional careers.

Since its inception in 1995, CAN U17 has crowned several nations and unveiled talents who have shone on the international stage. As the 2025 edition kicks off in Morocco from April 30 to 19, let's look back at the full record of winners since 1995.

Ghana, the first CAN U17 champion (1995-1999)

The first edition of CAN U17 was held in 1995 in Mali, precisely from May 4 to 27, 1995. The final phase brought together eight (8) African teams divided into two groups. Group A consisted of Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, and Tunisia, while Group B was formed by Nigeria, Guinea, Sudan, and Botswana.

The U17 national team of Ghana made history by becoming the first champion of the competition. Two years later, in 1997, Egypt clinched the title in Botswana. In 1999, Ghana repeated its feat by winning its second title in Guinea.

Emergence of new nations (2001-2009)

The 2000s saw the rise of new powers in U-17 football. In 2001, Nigeria won its first title in the Seychelles. Cameroon followed in 2003 with a victory in Swaziland. Gambia created a surprise in 2005 by winning on home soil, a remarkable achievement for the host country. Nigeria added a second title to its record in 2007 in Togo, while Gambia repeated its feat in 2009 in Algeria.​

Diversification of champions (2011-2019)

The following decade was marked by a diversification of winners. In 2011, Burkina Faso won its first title in Rwanda. Ivory Coast claimed the tournament in the 2013 edition in Morocco with a victory over Nigeria. Mali dominated the competition in 2015 in Niger and in 2017 in Gabon, joining the circle of nations having won the title twice. In 2019, Cameroon also secured its second title in Tanzania.

Cancellation and resumption of the competition (2021-2023)

The 2021 edition was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, temporarily halting the regular course of the tournament. However, the competition resumed in 2023 in Algeria, where Senegal was crowned champion for the first time, thus adding its name to the list of CAN U17 winners.

CAN U17 winners from 1995 to 2023

1995: Ghana (3-1 Nigeria)

1997: Egypt (1-0 Mali)

1999: Ghana (3-1 Burkina Faso)

2001: Nigeria (3-0 Burkina Faso)

2003: Cameroon (1-0 Sierra Leone)

2005: Gambia (1-0 Ghana)

2007: Nigeria (1-0 Togo)

2009: Gambia (3-1 Algeria)

2011: Burkina Faso (2-1 Rwanda)

2013: Ivory Coast (1-1, pens 5-4 Nigeria)

2015: Mali (2-0 South Africa)

2017: Mali (1-0 Ghana)

2019: Cameroon (0-0, pens 5-3 Guinea)

2021: Canceled

2023: Senegal (2-1 Morocco)

Lydiane N'Po |

Editorfr, en

Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.