Morocco face difficult Group A challenge at U17 Africa Cup of Nations

2025 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations hosts Morocco will begin their campaign in a demanding Group A that also features Tunisia, Egypt and Ethiopia.

The group brings together four nations with varying histories in the competition, with Morocco entering the tournament carrying the expectations of a home crowd after winning the previous edition.

Although Morocco are among the favourites, the hosts face a challenging path in a competition expected to feature strong contenders from across the continent, including Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Mali, Senegal and Ghana.

Group A is already being viewed as one of the most closely watched sections of the tournament because of the presence of three North African sides and the importance of the opening fixtures.

Morocco will begin their campaign against Tunisia on Wednesday, 13 May, in a match scheduled for 7:00 PM GMT.

Earlier on the same day, Egypt will face Ethiopia at 1:00 PM GMT.

The second round of matches will take place on Saturday, 16 May, with Tunisia meeting Egypt at 1:00 PM GMT before Ethiopia take on Morocco at 7:00 PM GMT.

The final round of group matches is scheduled for Tuesday, 19 May. Morocco will face Egypt at 7:00 PM GMT, while Tunisia will play Ethiopia at the same time.

The hosts return to the tournament for the fourth time in their history.

Morocco previously appeared in the competition in 2013, 2019, 2023 and now 2025.

Their greatest achievement came in the last edition, when they lifted the title to become champions of Africa at under-17 level.

Tunisia are also making their fourth appearance at the tournament.

Their previous participations came in 1995, 2007, 2013 and 2025.

The Tunisians recorded their best finish in 2013 when they secured third place.

Egypt return for a fourth appearance as well, having competed in the competition in 1997, 2003, 2011 and 2025.

Among the teams in Group A, Egypt hold one of the competition’s strongest historical records after winning the tournament in 1997.

Ethiopia complete the group and will participate for the third time in their history. Their earlier appearances came in 1997, 2001 and 2003.

The East Africans achieved their best result in 1997 when they finished fourth.

The tournament is expected to provide another opportunity for some of Africa’s brightest young talents to showcase themselves on a continental stage.

For Morocco, the pressure of playing at home could become both a motivation and a challenge as they attempt to defend their continental crown.

Their opening match against Tunisia may already prove decisive in determining the early direction of Group A, especially with Egypt also expected to compete strongly for qualification.

The clash between Morocco and Egypt on the final matchday is also likely to attract significant attention given the rivalry between the two football nations.

Tunisia, meanwhile, will hope to build on their previous strong performances in the competition and position themselves among the teams capable of reaching the knockout stages.

Ethiopia enter the tournament as outsiders but will aim to challenge the more established sides in the group.

With all four teams preparing for an intense battle for qualification, Group A promises to deliver a competitive start to the U17 Africa Cup of Nations.