Boost your football career: Everything you need to know about 2025 TotalEnergies CAF U-20 tournament

We all know every true fan of African football can’t wait for the 2025 AFCON to hit the ground running this December (yes, we’re only a few months away) in Morocco. Liverpool has already bagged the English Premier League, La Liga is on its final corner, and the same goes for other elite football leagues. What is next with the big football season wrapping up?

The good news is that TotalEnergies Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations is already happening in Egypt. The youth tournament promises to be the next big thing as we wait for the senior AFCON in December. But when, where, and which of your favorite teams are playing? Keep reading to get the scoop.

First up – What is AFCON U-20?

The CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations has been around since 1979, first played as a home-and-away tournament before changing to a full host-nation event in 1991. Over the years, it has been the birthplace of hundreds of big names in African football, from Yaya Touré to Mohamed Salah.

Nigeria is the most successful nation in the AFCON U-20’s history, with more than half a dozen titles for the Flying Eagles. Ghana is two titles behind, while hosting Egypt has claimed three titles. Other winners include Cameroon, Congo, Angola, Zambia, and Senegal, with a trophy each to their name.

Senegal comes into this year’s tournament as the defending champs after winning in 2023. Their victory was a first for the country at this level. AFCON Under-20 also serves as a qualification path to the FIFA U-20 World Cup, with the four semi-finalists earning a trip to Chile. 

Venues: Where are the AFCON U-20 games being played?

Egypt stepped in as host after Ivory Coast pulled out last year. The matches are spread across three Egyptian cities (read: Cairo, Ismailia, and Suez) with four main stadiums in use.

The 75,000-capacity Cairo International Stadium will host the opening match and final one. The June 30 Stadium in Cairo offers another top-class venue with room for 30,000 spectators. 

In Ismailia, the Suez Canal Stadium holds 22,000 fans and will host several group matches. Finally, with its 27,000 capacity, Suez Stadium rounds out the venues. The eye candy Suez Canal is next door.

Who is playing at AFCON U-20?

It all starts with 13 teams from across Africa divided into three groups. The format is a bit odd, one group has five teams and two groups with four teams each.

Group A consists of Egypt battling with Zambia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Tanzania. Group B consists of Nigeria, Tunisia, Kenya, and Morocco. Nigeria’s Flying Eagles come with high expectations as seven-time champions, while Morocco returns as 1997 winner hoping to reclaim their glory.

Group C brings together defending champions Senegal, Ghana, DR Congo, and Central African Republic. It’s the first time for Sierra Leone and Kenya.

AFCON U-20 schedule for 2025

The three-week event kicked off on April 27 and will run until May 18.

The group stage takes place from April 27 to May 9, with teams playing round-robin matches against everyone else in their group. Quarter-finals are set for May 12, bringing together the top two teams from each group plus the two best third-placed teams. 

The semi-finals will be played on May 15, with the four winners not only moving to the final but also booking their tickets to the U-20 World Cup in Chile. 

May 18 will be the closing tournament, with the third-place playoff and the grand final scheduled for the Cairo International Stadium. 

AFCON U-20 sponsors and broadcast rights: Where can I watch AFCON Under-20 games?

A football tournament as big as AFCON deserves an equally lucrative sponsorship deal. Thankfully, the biennial African football event organizers inked an eight-year sponsorship package with TotalEnergies. Previously known as Total S.A., the Paris-listed oil and gas conglomerate will not only be the title sponsor but foot the biggest bill of the youth tournament.

Other CAF sponsors will also chip in during the event, including the Moroccan national carrier Royal Air Maroc. Another big brand behind the event is Orange, the French telecom giant. In the past, AFCON Youth Championships have been sponsored by South African telecom MTN, multi-level marketing firm QNET, and TikTok, alongside 1XBET and other providers of sports betting and online casino games.

As far as broadcast rights go, CANAL+ is by far the biggest and will provide live matches across the board. You can also watch selected games on CAF’s YouTube channel (CAF TV), beIN Sport, and Time Sports. Of course, national broadcasters across the continent will broadcast some of the matches, including UBC here in Uganda and KBC in Kenya.

Top players to watch at AFCON U-20 in Egypt

This year’s AFCON Under-20 has plenty of young talents worth keeping an eye on.

Nigeria’s Kparobo Arierhi is the youngster to watch. The forward put on quite a show at the WAFU U-20 Championship. His record of 22 goals in 15 games in The Creative Championship League last season tells you all you need to know about his eye for goal. 

Ghana brings Jerry Afriyie, the top scorer and best player at the WAFU Zone B Championship. South Africa’s attack will be led by Jody Ah Shene, the top scorer from the COSAFA U-20 Championship. 

Hosting nation Egypt pins their hopes on Mohamed Zaalouk, currently on loan at Future FC from Cairo giants Al Ahly. Senegal’s midfield general Pierre Dorival brings European experience from his time at Olympique Lyonnais in France. 

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