Morocco added to U17 qualifiers as UNAF tournament rescheduled

The North African qualifying tournament for the CAN U17 has been postponed from September to November, with Morocco added to a five-team field.

The competition will now take place in Tunisia from 9 to 17 November, with matches being played in Monastir and Sousse. Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco will each play four matches, with one rest day.

Karim Ziani’s Algeria had originally been scheduled to begin the tournament against Libya on 26 September, before facing Tunisia and Egypt. The initial programme, issued by the Federation algerienne de football, covered a four-team event running until 2 October.

The draw had already been completed and Algeria’s preparations were under way when the schedule was revised. Ziani was appointed to lead the generation targeting qualification for the CAN U17 2027.

Under the new arrangement, Algeria will start against Morocco in one of the most closely watched fixtures of the tournament. The team will then play Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.

The two neighbouring countries met earlier this year at U16 level, drawing 1-1 in a UNAF tournament. Morocco’s inclusion adds further significance to the competition, although it does not currently alter the Confederation of African Football’s position that Morocco will host the CAN U17 in 2027.

Algeria face longer preparation

For Ziani’s squad, the change means extending preparations by several weeks and adding another opponent to their qualifying campaign. The players are currently competing in the U16 age group as they work towards the CAN U17.

They will no longer play their first competitive fixture at the end of September, leaving the coaching staff with the task of maintaining the squad’s momentum until November. The programme will also need to be adjusted without losing the work and structure developed around the original schedule.

Algeria’s preparations had already faced disruption after Elies Diallo chose to join the France U16 squad instead of taking part in the tournament with Algeria.

There is also still expected to be clarification over the precise sporting consequences of Morocco’s participation. Morocco has already been designated as tournament host for the CAN U17, and the impact of that status on the allocation of qualifying places for the UNAF zone has not yet been specified.

On the pitch, however, Algeria’s task is already clear. The route to the CAN will now involve four opponents rather than three, and it will begin with the fixture attracting the greatest attention: Algeria against Morocco.