2025 COSAFA U-20 Championship

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The 2025 COSAFA U-20 Championship was the 30th edition of the COSAFA U-20 Youth Championship, the international youth football championship organised by COSAFA for the men's under-20 national teams of Southern Africa. The tournament doubled as the men's football competition for the AUSC Region 5 Youth Games Namibia 2025 and was hosted in Windhoek from 4 to 13 July 2025.^[1]^[2] A total of eight teams played in the tournament, with players born on or after 1 January 2005 eligible to participate.

COSAFA U-20
Youth Championship 2025
Tournament details

Host country	Namibia
Dates	4 – 13 July
Teams	8 (from 1 sub-confederation)
Venue	2 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	South Africa (10th title)
Runners-up	Malawi
Third place	Zambia
Fourth place	Angola
Tournament statistics
Matches played	16
Goals scored	44 (2.75 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Mwisho Mhango (4 goals)
Best player	Mwisho Mhango
Best goalkeeper	Solethu Radebe
Fair play award	South Africa
← 2024 TBD →

South Africa were the defending champions, having won their ninth title in last year's edition.^[3] They successfully defended their title, finishing the tournament unbeaten.^[4]

Participation

Participating teams

Note: All appearance statistics are counted starting from the 1999 edition, as limited information is available for the earlier years.

Team	App	Last	Previous best performance
Angola^[5]	21st	2024	Runners-up (2000, 2001, 2002)
Botswana^[6]	21st	2024	Third place (2009, 2013)
Eswatini^[7]	22nd	2024	Third place (1985, 1986, 1988, 1990)
Malawi^[8]	19th	2024	Runners-up (2003)
Namibia^[9]	19th	2024	Runners-up (2010, 2020)
South Africa	22nd	2024	Champions (2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2024)
Zambia^[10]	22nd	2024	Champions (1983, 1986, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2022)
Zimbabwe^[11]	20th	2024	Champions (1985, 1988, 1990, 2001, 2002, 2007)

Did not enter

Draw

The tournament final draw took place on 27 April 2025.^[12]

The draw resulted in the following groups:

Group A
Pos	Team
A1	Namibia
A2	Angola
A3	Malawi
A4	Zimbabwe

Group B
Pos	Team
B1	South Africa
B2	Zambia
B3	Eswatini
B4	Botswana

Officials

A total of 6 Referees, 6 Assistants were selected for the tournament.

Referees

Hamilton Kebonang
David Chinoko
António Chivavel
Fillipus Nghilinganye
Charles Ng'andwe
Owen Manenda

Assistant referees

Pedro Micolo
Macário Gaveto
Klaus Bonifatius
Nguvitjita Huirika
Joseph Mohweleli
Tanatswa Masawi

Group stage

All times are local, CAT (UTC+2). The match schedule was confirmed by COSAFA on 13 June 2025.^[13]

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Malawi	3	2	1	0	5	2	+3	7	Advance to knockout stage
2	Angola	3	2	1	0	4	1	+3	7	Advance to knockout stage
3	Namibia (H)	3	1	0	2	3	5	−2	3
4	Zimbabwe	3	0	0	3	3	7	−4	0

Source: COSAFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts

4 July 2025

12:00

Malawi	2–1	Zimbabwe
Mhango 25' Chibika 73' (o.g.)	Report	Chakuchichi 58'

Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: António Chivavel (Mozambique)

4 July 2025

15:00

Namibia	0–1	Angola
	Report	Cundula 14'

Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: Charles Ng'andwe (Zambia)

6 July 2025

13:00

Angola	1–1	Malawi
Marcelo 45+4'	Report	Mhango 17'

Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: Hamilton Kebonang (Botswana)

6 July 2025

16:00

Namibia	3–2	Zimbabwe
Kauzuu 3' Naobeb 13', 73'	Report	Darkeni 23' Kavendji 27' (o.g.)

Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: David Chinoko (Malawi)

8 July 2025

16:00

Namibia	0–2	Malawi
	Report	Mithi 75' Chisale 90+6'

Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: Owen Manenda (Zimbabwe)

8 July 2025

16:00

Angola	2–0	Zimbabwe
Papusseco 2' Panda 37'	Report

UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: Fillipus Nghilinganye (Namibia)

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	South Africa	3	2	1	0	8	3	+5	7	Advance to knockout stage
2	Zambia	3	2	1	0	7	3	+4	7	Advance to knockout stage
3	Botswana	3	1	0	2	3	5	−2	3
4	Eswatini	3	0	0	3	1	8	−7	0

Source: COSAFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

5 July 2025

13:00

Eswatini	1–3	Botswana
Dube 80'	Report	Tshotlego 16' (pen.) Ngube 65' Evans 89'

Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: Fillipus Nghilinganye (Namibia)

5 July 2025

16:00

South Africa	3–3	Zambia
Bohloko 6' Witbooi 17' Mzimela 80'	Report	G. Phiri 7' Simute 32' Ndhlovu 44'

Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: Owen Manenda (Zimbabwe)

7 July 2025

13:00

Zambia	3–0	Eswatini
G. Phiri 19' Daka 27' Chipelu 33'	Report

Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: António Chivavel (Mozambique)

7 July 2025

16:00

South Africa	3–0	Botswana
Stevens 15' Mokokosi 25' Sekgoto 59'	Report

Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: Charles Ng'andwe (Zambia)

9 July 2025

16:00

South Africa	2–0	Eswatini
Mendes 28' Mhlongo 59'	Report

Hage Geingob Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: António Chivavel (Mozambique)

9 July 2025

16:00

Zambia	1–0	Botswana
Chimwemwe 80'	Report

UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: David Chinoko (Malawi)

Knockout stage

Bracket

	Semi-finals				Final

	11 July

	South Africa	2
					13 July
	Angola	0
					South Africa	3
	11 July
					Malawi	0
	Malawi	2

	Zambia	1
					Third place

					12 July

					Angola	1 (4)

					Zambia (p)	1 (5)

Semi-finals

11 July 2025

13:00

South Africa	2–0	Angola
Clemente 30' (o.g.) Mendes 64'	Report

UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: David Chinoko (Malawi)

11 July 2025

16:00

Malawi	2–1	Zambia
Mhango 3', 70'	Report	Sibeene 40'

UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: Fillipus Nghilinganye (Namibia)

Third place

12 July 2025

15:00

Angola	1–1	Zambia
Barraba 89' (pen.)	Report	Daka 14'
Penalties
Rosário Marcelo Barraba Ivan Papusseco	4–5	Daka R. Banda Simfukwe Sibeene Ndhlovu

UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: António Chivavel (Mozambique)

Final

13 July 2025

14:00

South Africa	3–0	Malawi
Mzimela 5' Mlondo 64' Sekgoto 76'	Report

UNAM Sport Stadium, Windhoek

Referee: Owen Manenda (Zimbabwe)

Goalscorers

There were 44 goals scored in 16 matches, for an average of 2.75 goals per match.

4 goals

Mwisho Mhango

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Clemente Gonçalves (against South Africa)
Mcheni Kavendji (against Zimbabwe)
Garie Chibika (against Malawi)

See also

References

↑ Mupetami, Limba (3 July 2025). "Namibia in gear to host Region 5 Games". neweralive.na. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
↑ "Under-20 Men's and Women's competitions set for Region 5 Games". cosafa.com. COSAFA. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
↑ "South Africa to defend regional U20 crown in Windhoek". cosafa.com. COSAFA. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
↑ Pongco, Siya (14 July 2025). "Amajita's 10th Cosafa title is a game changer for youth football". ssschoolsplus.co.za. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
↑ "Angola still in search of first COSAFA Under-20 title". cosafa.com. 10 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
↑ "Botswana hope for first ever final spot at regional U20 tournament". cosafa.com. 11 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
↑ "Eswatini hoping for first knockout place in 23 years at regional U20 Championships". cosafa.com. 18 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
↑ "Malawi men look to knockout rounds at Region 5 Games". cosafa.com. 18 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
↑ "Namibia hope to use home ground advantage at Region 5 Games". cosafa.com. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
↑ "Zambia look for lucky 13 at regional Under-20 Championship". cosafa.com. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
↑ "Zimbabwe seek long-awaited regional Under-20 crown in Namibia". cosafa.com. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
↑ Nikodemus, Sheefeni (29 April 2025). "Region Five Games draw reveals matchups". namibian.com.na. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
↑ "Fixtures released for Region 5 Games u20 football competitions". cosafa.com. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.

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