African Football’s roadmap revealed: CHAN, Futsal, and youth tournaments take center stage

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) held a series of high-stakes draws in Cairo on Thursday, setting the stage for several major tournaments, including the CHAN 2025 qualifiers, the inaugural Women’s Futsal AFCON, and the U17 and U20 Africa Cup of Nations. These competitions promise to shape the future of African football, offering young talents and emerging nations a chance to shine.

The CHAN 2025 qualifiers are heating up, with teams like Comoros, Malawi, South Africa, Egypt, Gambia, and Gabon battling for the final two spots in the tournament.

Algeria, the 2023 runners-up, received a bye to the second round, where they will face the winner of the Gambia-Gabon clash.

The first-round matches are scheduled for late February and early March, with the decisive second round set for May.

In a historic move, CAF also unveiled the groups for the first-ever Women’s Futsal AFCON, set to take place in Morocco from April 22-30, 2025.

Hosts Morocco, alongside powerhouses like Angola and Egypt, will compete for continental glory and a spot in the 2025 FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, the U17 AFCON, scheduled for March 30 to April 19, 2025, in Morocco, will serve as a qualifier for the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.

Defending champions Senegal face a tough group, while hosts Morocco aim to capitalize on home advantage.

The U20 AFCON, hosted by Ivory Coast from April 26 to May 18, 2025, will also determine Africa’s representatives at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile. Nigeria, Egypt, and defending champions Senegal headline a competitive field.

With these draws, African football enters a thrilling new chapter, as nations vie for continental supremacy and global recognition. The road to glory begins now.