UFOA-A U20: 8 contenders for two tickets to the AFCON

The draw sets the scene

Africa Today at 11:23

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UFOA-A U20: 8 contenders for two tickets to the AFCON

The line-up is now known for the UFOA-A zone. The draw for the U20 tournament was held this Thursday, October 1, in Mali, the host country of the competition, which will be played from October 15 to 31, 2026. Eight nations are competing for two qualifying places in the final phase of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Two groups for a fiercely contested qualification

The teams have been divided into two groups of four. In Group A, Mali will play at home against Guinea, Liberia and Gambia. It is a well-balanced group in which every match promises to be closely contested.

Tournoi ufoa-a U20 : Voici le tirage / C'est du 15 au 30 octobre au Mali

Le Sénégal est dans le groupe B avec la Mauritanie, la Sierra Leone et la Guinée-Bissau

Dans le groupe le Mali est avec la Guinée, le Liberia et la Gambie #ufoaaU20 #Sénégal #Totalsportsn #football pic.twitter.com/hHhgDJydzc
— TotalSportsn (@totalsport221) October 1, 2026

In Group B, Senegal, the defending champions, are the favourites but will have to be wary of Mauritania, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, three teams capable of upsetting the established order.

The AFCON final line-up takes shape

The stakes are high, as the two finalists of this regional competition will secure a direct ticket to the final phase of the 2027 Ghana U20 Africa Cup of Nations. This UFOA-A tournament continues the formation of the continental line-up, following the qualifications already secured in the UFOA-B zone by Burkina Faso and Ghana, and in the COSAFA zone by South Africa and Mozambique.