Rabat to Host Opener and Final: U17 AFCON Kicks Off at Moulay El Hassan Stadium
The organizing committee of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Under-17, which the Kingdom of Morocco will host from May 13 to June 2, 2026, has selected the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in the capital Rabat to stage the competition's most important matches, foremost among them the opening fixture and the final, in addition to the two semi-finals.
The tournament will get under way with a heavyweight clash pitting the Morocco national team against their Tunisian counterparts on May 13 at 8 p.m., in the first round of the group stage. The remaining matches of the competition will be played on the pitches of the Mohammed VI Football Academy, which has become a leading venue for hosting continental football events.
The tournament draw placed the "Atlas Cubs" in Group A alongside Tunisia, Egypt and Ethiopia, a group that looks balanced and open to all outcomes.
By contrast, Group B brings together Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Group C is made up of Mali, Angola, Tanzania and Mozambique.
As for Group D, it will witness fierce competition among Senegal, South Africa, Algeria and Ghana, a group set to produce thrilling matches.
The tournament is expected to feature a high level of competition, especially since the teams finishing in the top eight will secure their passage to the quarter-finals and thereby qualify for the finals of the Under-17 World Cup, scheduled to take place in Qatar in 2026.
