U-23 Afcon qualifying field confirmed as 47 nations begin road to Egypt 2028

The race to reach the 2028 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations has begun, with 47 teams confirmed for the qualifying campaign ahead of the tournament draw.

Hosts Egypt are among the nations set to feature, while continental heavyweights Ghana, Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Cameroon and South Africa will all enter the battle for places at the finals.

The expanded qualifying field brings together teams from across the continent, with countries ranging from Angola and Benin to Zambia and Zimbabwe hoping to secure a place at the tournament, which also serves as a key pathway towards Olympic qualification.

Egypt, who were awarded hosting rights for the 2028 finals by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), are included in the confirmed list of participating teams as preparations continue for the competition.

The remaining entrants include Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia, alongside emerging football nations such as Comoros, Djibouti, Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe and Seychelles.

A total of 47 associations have entered the qualifiers, underlining the growing importance of the U-23 competition in developing the next generation of African talent.

The qualifying draw will determine the match-ups that will begin the journey to Egypt, with teams facing home-and-away ties as they seek to progress through the preliminary rounds.

For former champions such as Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria, the campaign offers an opportunity to reclaim continental glory, while nations including Ghana will aim to return to the U-23 finals after missing recent editions.

The tournament has become one of CAF’s most significant youth competitions, with many of Africa’s brightest prospects using it as a stepping stone to senior international football and the Olympic Games.

With the participating nations now confirmed, attention turns to the draw that will officially launch the qualification campaign for Egypt 2028.