U-20 Africa Cup of Nations African tournament for the FIFA U-20 World Cup
Football tournament
The U-20 Africa Cup of Nations , known for short as the U-20 AFCON and for sponsorship purposes as TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations , previously known as the African Youth Championship and the African U-20 Championship , is the biennial international youth football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for its nations consisting of players under the age of 20. It serves as the African qualification tournament for the FIFA U-20 World Cup .
History
In 1979, FIFA created a world championship for upcoming footballers, causing CAF to install a home-and-away qualification tournament for African nations called the African Youth Championship which also crowned the tournament's champions. In 1991, CAF upgraded the tournament into a full-scale tournament contested by 8 in a chosen host nation.
CAF changed the name of this competition to the African U-20 Championship for the 2011 edition so as to distinguish it from the U-17 competition . On 6 August 2015, the CAF Executive Committee decided to change the tournament's name to the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in line with the flagship Africa Cup of Nations tournament.[ 1] However, the name on the official competition logo after 2015 reads as the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations .
On 21 July 2016, French energy and petroleum giant TotalEnergies (formerly Total S.A. ) secured an 8-year sponsorship package from CAF to support its competitions.[ 2] [ 3]
Since the 2021 edition , the tournament has been contested by 12 teams.[ 4]
Tournament summary
African Youth Championship (Qualification)
African Youth Championship (Host)
African U-20 Championship
U-20 Africa Cup of Nations
Rank
Team
Champions
Runners-up
Third-place
Fourth-place
Semi-finalists
1
Nigeria
7 (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, 2015)
2 (1999, 2007)
4 (1995*, 2009, 2013, 2023)
1 (2019)
2 (1979, 1981)
2
Ghana
4 (1993, 1999*, 2009, 2021)
2 (2001, 2013)
2 (1991, 2015)
1 (1997)
–
3
Egypt
4 (1981, 1991*, 2003, 2013)
1 (2005)
3 (1993, 2001, 2011)
–
–
4
Cameroon
1 (1995)
4 (1981, 1993, 2009, 2011)
1 (1999)
–
–
5
Senegal
1 (2023)
3 (2015*, 2017, 2019)
–
–
–
6
Mali
1 (2019)
1 (1989)
1 (2003)
4 (1995, 2011, 2013, 2015)
–
7
Zambia
1 (2017*)
–
–
3 (1991, 1999, 2007)
–
8
Algeria
1 (1979)
–
–
–
3 (1981, 1983, 1989)
9
Morocco
1 (1997*)
–
–
1 (2005)
1 (1987)
10
Angola
1 (2001)
–
–
–
–
Congo
1 (2007*)
–
–
–
–
12
Ivory Coast
–
3 (1983, 1991, 2003)
1 (1997)
–
2 (1985, 1989)
13
Gambia
–
1 (2023)
2 (2007, 2021)
–
–
14
South Africa
–
1 (1997)
1 (2019)
2 (2009, 2017)
–
15
Guinea
–
1 (1979)
1 (2017)
–
1 (1983)
16
Tunisia
–
1 (1985)
–
2 (2021, 2023)
–
17
Togo
–
1 (1987)
–
–
–
Burundi
–
1 (1995)
–
–
–
Uganda
–
1 (2021)
–
–
–
20
Benin
–
–
1 (2005*)
–
–
21
Ethiopia
–
–
–
2 (1993, 2001*)
2 (1979, 1985)
22
Somalia
–
–
–
–
1 (1987)
23
Burkina Faso
–
–
–
1 (2003*)
–
* = As hosts
Participating nations
Team
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
2025
Years
Algeria
1st
SF
SF
1R
×
SF
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
GS
×
•
•
•
•
•
6
Angola
×
×
1R
1R
×
PR
×
×
•
•
GS
1st
•
GS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
6
Benin
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
×
×
•
×
×
×
3rd
×
•
•
GS
•
×
•
•
QF
•
3
Burkina Faso
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
•
×
•
4th
•
GS
•
•
•
•
•
GS
QF
•
•
4
Burundi
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
2nd
•
×
•
×
•
•
•
×
•
•
GS
•
•
•
2
Cameroon
2R
2nd
QF
QF
1R
1R
GS
2nd
1st
•
3rd
GS
•
•
GS
2nd
2nd
•
•
GS
•
QF
•
•
16
Central African Republic
×
2R
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
×
×
×
•
QF
GS
•
3
Congo
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
×
×
×
1st
•
•
•
GS
•
•
•
QF
q
4
DR Congo
×
×
×
×
×
1R
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
•
GS
•
•
•
•
•
q
3
Egypt
1R
1st
QF
1R
QF
QF
1st
3rd
•
GS
•
3rd
1st
2nd
GS
GS
3rd
1st
•
GS
•
×
GS
18
Equatorial Guinea
×
2R
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
•
×
•
×
•
×
×
×
•
•
×
•
1
Eswatini
×
×
1R
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
•
•
×
×
×
×
×
•
•
•
•
•
•
1
Ethiopia
SF
1R
×
SF
1R
×
GS
4th
•
•
•
4th
•
×
•
×
×
×
•
•
•
•
•
•
7
Gabon
×
PR
1R
×
×
QF
×
×
×
•
•
GS
×
•
•
•
GS
•
•
•
×
×
•
5
Gambia
×
×
1R
PR
×
×
•
×
×
×
×
•
×
•
3rd
•
GS
×
•
•
3rd
2nd
•
6
Ghana
×
×
×
1R
QF
3rd
1st
•
4th
1st
2nd
GS
•
•
1st
GS
2nd
3rd
•
GS
1st
•
q
15
Guinea
2nd
1R
SF
QF
1R
1R
×
GS
•
GS
×
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
3rd
•
•
•
•
9
Ivory Coast
×
×
2nd
SF
QF
SF
2nd
×
•
3rd
•
×
2nd
GS
GS
GS
•
•
GS
•
•
•
•
•
11
Kenya
1R
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
×
•
×
•
×
×
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
×
q
2
Lesotho
×
×
×
×
×
QF
•
×
•
×
•
•
×
GS
•
•
GS
×
×
•
•
•
•
•
3
Liberia
×
×
×
×
PR
×
×
×
×
•
×
×
×
×
•
×
•
•
•
•
×
•
•
1
Libya
1R
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
•
•
•
•
•
×
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1
Malawi
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
×
GS
•
×
×
•
•
•
×
•
×
•
•
•
•
1
Mali
×
×
×
×
×
2nd
•
•
4th
GS
GS
GS
3rd
GS
•
GS
4th
4th
4th
GS
1st
•
•
•
13
Mauritania
×
1R
×
×
1R
×
•
•
×
•
×
×
×
×
•
•
×
•
•
•
•
GS
•
×
3
Mauritius
2R
×
×
×
×
×
×
GS
GS
•
×
•
×
×
•
•
•
•
×
•
•
×
•
×
3
Morocco
2R
1R
QF
QF
SF
1R
•
GS
•
1st
•
•
4th
GS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
QF
•
q
12
Mozambique
×
×
×
PR
QF
×
×
×
×
×
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
GS
GS
•
4
Namibia
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
GS
•
•
1
Niger
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
×
•
×
×
×
×
•
•
×
•
•
•
GS
•
•
•
1
Nigeria
SF
SF
1st
1st
1st
1st
×
GS
3rd
•
2nd
GS
•
1st
2nd
3rd
1st
3rd
1st
•
4th
•
3rd
q
19
Rwanda
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
×
×
•
•
GS
•
•
•
•
•
×
×
•
1
Senegal
×
×
PR
×
×
PR
•
GS
GS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2nd
2nd
2nd
•
1st
q
9
Sierra Leone
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
×
×
×
•
×
×
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
q
1
Somalia
×
×
×
×
SF
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
•
•
×
×
×
×
•
•
•
•
×
×
1
South Africa
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
2nd
•
GS
GS
•
•
4th
GS
•
GS
4th
3rd
•
•
q
9
South Sudan
Country didn't exist: part of Sudan
×
×
×
•
•
QF
•
1
Sudan
×
×
1R
1R
×
×
×
×
•
GS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
GS
•
•
•
•
4
Tanzania
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
•
•
•
•
×
×
×
•
•
•
×
•
GS
•
q
2
Togo
×
1R
1R
×
2nd
×
×
•
•
×
•
×
•
×
•
×
•
×
•
×
•
•
•
•
3
Tunisia
2R
2R
1R
2nd
QF
1R
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
4th
4th
8
Uganda
×
×
×
PR
PR
×
•
•
×
×
•
•
•
×
×
•
•
•
×
•
2nd
QF
•
4
Zambia
×
×
×
1R
1R
×
4th
×
GS
GS
4th
•
•
•
4th
•
•
•
GS
1st
•
•
GS
q
11
Zimbabwe
×
2R
QF
QF
×
•
•
×
•
×
×
•
•
•
•
×
×
×
•
•
•
×
•
3
Legend
1st – Champions
2nd – Runners-up
3rd – Third place
4th – Fourth place
SF – Semi-finals
QF – Quarter-finals
GS – Group stage
PR – Preliminary round
1R – First round
2R – Second round
q – Qualified
— Hosts
× – Did not enter
• – Did not qualify
× – Withdrew before qualification
— Withdrew after qualification
— Disqualified after qualification
Participating nations by year of debut
Participating nations by debut (Until 1989, counted Round 1, after 1991 counting Final 16)
Before 1989
1979: Algeria , Cameroon , Egypt , Ethiopia , Guinea , Kenya , Libya , Mauritius , Morocco , Nigeria , Tunisia
1981: Central African Republic , Equatorial Guinea , Mauritania , Togo , Zimbabwe
1983: Angola , Gabon , Gambia , Ivory Coast , Sudan , Swaziland
1985: Ghana , Zambia
1987: Somalia
1989: Congo , Lesotho , Mali
After 1991
1991: Cameroon , Egypt (hosts) , Ethiopia , Ghana , Ivory Coast , Zambia
1993: Mauritius (hosts) , Morocco , Nigeria , Senegal
1995: Burundi , Guinea , Mali
1997: South Africa , Sudan
1999: Angola , Malawi
2003: Burkina Faso , Gabon
2005: Benin (hosts) , Lesotho
2007: Congo (hosts) , Gambia
2009: Rwanda (hosts)
2011: No new team
2013: Algeria , DR Congo
2015: No new team
2017: No new team
2019: Niger (hosts)
2021: Central African Republic , Mauritania (hosts) , Mozambique , Namibia , Tanzania , Tunisia , Uganda
2023: South Sudan
2025: Kenya , Sierra Leone
Player awards
Legend
1st – Champions
2nd – Runners-up
3rd – Third place
4th – Fourth place
QF – Quarterfinals
R2 – Round 2
R1 – Round 1
– Hosts
q – Qualified for upcoming edition
See also
References
External links
African Qualification Tournament African Youth Championship
Tournaments Qualification
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
Squads
African U-20 Championship
Editions Qualification Squads
U-20 Africa Cup of Nations
Editions Qualification Squads Finals
National competitions
Youth competitions
Club competitions
Sub-regions
Related competitions
Tournaments Finals Squads Qualification