Morocco, Ghana and Egypt named as hosts for 2027 CAF youth tournaments

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed Morocco, Ghana and Egypt as hosts for its youth competitions in 2027, with the scheduled periods for the tournaments also announced.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of the CAF Executive Committee on Monday, as the continental governing body began setting out its calendar for the following year.

Morocco will stage the Africa Cup of Nations Under-17 tournament from April to May 2027. It will be another opportunity for the country to host an African competition, although the announcement did not specify the exact dates or venues for the event.

Before that tournament, Ghana will welcome the Under-20 national teams for their Africa Cup of Nations competition. The tournament in that age category is scheduled to take place during March and April 2027.

The Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations will be held in Egypt. That competition will carry particular significance because Olympic qualification will be decided through the tournament.

CAF’s announcement confirms the host countries and broad periods for the three established youth competitions, but does not provide a more detailed match schedule at this stage.

The governing body also put forward a proposal for a new Africa Cup of Nations Under-17 competition for women. No further information was given about the planned tournament, including its dates, host country or format.

The 2027 programme therefore includes established men’s competitions at Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 level, alongside the proposal for a women’s Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations. Morocco, Ghana and Egypt will each take responsibility for hosting one of the confirmed tournaments.

The Under-20 competition will be the first of the three to be played, with Ghana’s hosting window beginning in March. The Under-17 tournament in Morocco is scheduled to follow in April, while the Under-23 event in Egypt will form the route to Olympic qualification.

CAF has not released any additional details about the proposed women’s Under-17 tournament beyond confirming that it is under consideration. The organisation’s latest decisions nevertheless establish the main framework for the 2027 youth calendar and identify the countries that will stage the confirmed competitions.