U-20 Africa Cup of Nations

The U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, known for short as the U-20 AFCON and for sponsorship purposes as TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations and previously known as the African Youth Championship and the African U-20 Championship, is the biennial African youth football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for its nations consisting of players under the age of 20. It serves as the African qualification tournament for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

U-20 Africa Cup of Nations

Organiser(s)	CAF
Founded	1979 (qualification) 1991 (tournament)
Region	Africa
Teams	12
Current champions	South Africa (1st title)
Most championships	Nigeria (7 titles)
2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations

History

In 1979, FIFA created a world championship for upcoming footballers, causing CAF to install a home-and-away qualification tournament for African nations called the African Youth Championship which also crowned the tournament's champions. In 1991, CAF upgraded the tournament into a full-scale tournament contested by 8 in a chosen host nation.

CAF changed the name of this competition to the African U-20 Championship for the 2011 edition so as to distinguish it from the U-17 competition. On 6 August 2015, the CAF Executive Committee decided to change the tournament's name to the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in line with the flagship Africa Cup of Nations tournament. However, the name on the official competition logo after 2015 reads as the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

On 21 July 2016, French energy and petroleum giant TotalEnergies (formerly Total S.A.) secured an 8-year sponsorship package from CAF to support its competitions.

Since the 2021 edition, the tournament has been contested by 12 teams.

On 28 April 2026, CAF awarded Ghana the hosting rights for the upcoming 2027 edition, thus Ghana will host its second tournament edition and first since 1999 (which they won) in the same year the country will celebrate 70 years of independence.

Tournament summary

African Youth Championship (Qualification)

Edition	Year	Host nation		Final				Third Place
				Champion	Score	Second Place
2	1979	Home sites		Algeria	2–1	Guinea		Ethiopia	Nigeria
					2–3
3	1981	Home sites		Egypt	2–0	Cameroon		Algeria	Nigeria
					1–1
4	1983	Home sites		Nigeria	2–2	Ivory Coast		Algeria	Guinea
					2–1
5	1985	Home sites		Nigeria	1–1	Tunisia		Ivory Coast	Ethiopia
					2–1
6	1987	Home sites		Nigeria	2–1	Togo		Morocco	Somalia
					3–0
7	1989	Home sites		Nigeria	2–0	Mali		Algeria	Ivory Coast
					2–1

African Youth Championship (Host)

Edition	Year	Host nation		Final				Third Place Match
				Champion	Score	Second Place		Third Place	Score	Fourth Place
8	1991	Egypt		Egypt	2–1	Ivory Coast		Ghana	2–0	Zambia
9	1993	Mauritius		Ghana	2–0	Cameroon		Egypt	3–0	Ethiopia
10	1995	Nigeria		Cameroon	4–0	Burundi		Nigeria	1–0	Mali
11	1997	Morocco		Morocco	1–0	South Africa		Ivory Coast	2–0	Ghana
12	1999	Ghana		Ghana	1–0	Nigeria		Cameroon	2–1	Zambia
13	2001	Ethiopia		Angola	2–0	Ghana		Egypt	2–0	Ethiopia
14	2003	Burkina Faso		Egypt	4–3 (a.e.t.)	Ivory Coast		Mali	1–1 (5–4 p)	Burkina Faso
15	2005	Benin		Nigeria	2–0	Egypt		Benin	1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–3 p)	Morocco
16	2007	Republic of the Congo		Congo	1–0	Nigeria		Gambia	3–1	Zambia
17	2009	Rwanda		Ghana	2–0	Cameroon		Nigeria	2–1	South Africa

African U-20 Championship

Edition	Year	Host nation		Final				Third Place Match
				Champion	Score	Second Place		Third Place	Score	Fourth Place
18	2011	South Africa		Nigeria	3–2 (a.e.t.)	Cameroon		Egypt	1–0	Mali
19	2013	Algeria		Egypt	1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p)	Ghana		Nigeria	2–1	Mali
20	2015	Senegal		Nigeria	1–0	Senegal		Ghana	3–1	Mali

U-20 Africa Cup of Nations

Edition	Year	Host nation		Final				Third Place Match
				Champion	Score	Second Place		Third Place	Score	Fourth Place
21	2017	Zambia		Zambia	2–0	Senegal		Guinea	2–1	South Africa
22	2019	Niger		Mali	1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–2 p)	Senegal		South Africa	0–0 (5–3 p)	Nigeria
23	2021	Mauritania		Ghana	2–0	Uganda		Gambia	0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p)	Tunisia
24	2023	Egypt		Senegal	2–0	Gambia		Nigeria	4–0	Tunisia
25	2025	Egypt		South Africa	1–0	Morocco		Nigeria	1–1 (4–1 p)	Egypt
26	2027	Ghana			–				–

Performance by nation

Rank	Team	Champions	Runners-up	Third-place	Fourth-place	Semi-finalists
1	Nigeria	7 (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, 2015)	2 (1999, 2007)	5 (1995*, 2009, 2013, 2023, 2025)	1 (2019)	2 (1979, 1981)
2	Ghana	4 (1993, 1999*, 2009, 2021)	2 (2001, 2013)	2 (1991, 2015)	1 (1997)	–
3	Egypt	4 (1981, 1991*, 2003, 2013)	1 (2005)	3 (1993, 2001, 2011)	1 (2025)	–
4	Cameroon	1 (1995)	4 (1981, 1993, 2009, 2011)	1 (1999)	–	–
5	Senegal	1 (2023)	3 (2015*, 2017, 2019)	–	–	–
6	Mali	1 (2019)	1 (1989)	1 (2003)	4 (1995, 2011, 2013, 2015)	–
7	South Africa	1 (2025)	1 (1997)	1 (2019)	2 (2009, 2017)	–
8	Morocco	1 (1997*)	1 (2025)	–	1 (2005)	1 (1987)
9	Zambia	1 (2017*)	–	–	3 (1991, 1999, 2007)	–
10	Algeria	1 (1979)	–	–	–	3 (1981, 1983, 1989)
11	Angola	1 (2001)	–	–	–	–
	Congo	1 (2007*)	–	–	–	–
12	Ivory Coast	–	3 (1983, 1991, 2003)	1 (1997)	–	2 (1985, 1989)
13	Gambia	–	1 (2023)	2 (2007, 2021)	–	–
15	Guinea	–	1 (1979)	1 (2017)	–	1 (1983)
16	Tunisia	–	1 (1985)	–	2 (2021, 2023)	–
17	Togo	–	1 (1987)	–	–	–
	Burundi	–	1 (1995)	–	–	–
	Uganda	–	1 (2021)	–	–	–
20	Benin	–	–	1 (2005*)	–	–
21	Ethiopia	–	–	–	2 (1993, 2001*)	2 (1979, 1985)
22	Somalia	–	–	–	–	1 (1987)
23	Burkina Faso	–	–	–	1 (2003*)	–

* = As hosts

Champions by region

Regional federation	Champion(s)	Title(s)
WAFU (West Africa)	Nigeria (7), Ghana (4), Senegal (1), Mali (1)	13
UNAF (North Africa)	Egypt (4), Morocco (1), Algeria (1)	6
COSAFA (Southern Africa)	South Africa (1), Zambia (1), Angola (1)	3
UNIFFAC (Central Africa)	Cameroon (1), Congo (1)	2
CECAFA (East Africa)	-	0

Participating nations

Team	1979	1981	1983	1985	1987	1989	1991	1993	1995	1997	1999	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2021	2023	2025	Years
Algeria	1st	SF	SF	1R	×	SF		•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	×	•	•	•	•	•	6
Angola	×	×	1R	1R	×	PR	×	×	•	•	GS	1st	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	6
Benin	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	×	×	×	3rd	×	•	•	GS	•	×	•	•	QF	•	3
Burkina Faso	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	4th	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	GS	QF	•	•	4
Burundi	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	2nd		•	×	•	×	•	•	•	×	•	•	GS	•	•	•	2
Cameroon	2R	2nd	QF	QF	1R	1R	GS	2nd	1st	•	3rd	GS	•	•	GS	2nd	2nd	•	•	GS	•	QF	•	•	16
Central African Republic	×	2R	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	•	QF	GS	q	4
Congo	×	×	×	×	×	×	×		×	×	•	×	×	×	1st	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	QF		3
DR Congo	×	×	×	×	×	1R	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	q	3
Egypt	1R	1st	QF	1R	QF	QF	1st	3rd	•	GS	•	3rd	1st	2nd	GS	GS	3rd	1st	•	GS	•	×	GS	q	19
Equatorial Guinea	×	2R		×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	×	•	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	1
Eswatini	×	×	1R	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Ethiopia	SF	1R	×	SF	1R	×	GS	4th	•	•	•	4th	•	×	•	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	7
Gabon	×	PR	1R	×	×	QF		×	×	×	•	•	GS	×	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	×	×	•	5
Gambia	×	×	1R	PR	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	3rd	•	GS	×		•	•	3rd	2nd	•	6
Ghana	×	×	×	1R		QF	3rd	1st	•	4th	1st	2nd	GS	•	•	1st	GS	2nd	3rd	•	GS	1st	•	q	15
Guinea	2nd	1R	SF	QF	1R	1R		×	GS	•	GS	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	3rd	•	•	•	•	9
Ivory Coast	×	×	2nd	SF	QF	SF	2nd	×	•	3rd	•	×	2nd	GS	GS	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	11
Kenya	1R	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	•	•		•	•	×	q	2
Lesotho	×	×	×	×	×	QF	•	×	•	×	•	•	×	GS	•	•	GS	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	3
Liberia	×	×		×	×	PR	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	1
Libya	1R	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Malawi	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	GS	•	×	×	•	•	•	×	•	×	•	•	•	•	1
Mali	×	×	×	×	×	2nd	•	•	4th	GS	GS	GS	3rd	GS	•	GS	4th	4th	4th	GS	1st	•	•	•	13
Mauritania	×	1R	×	×	1R	×	•	•	×	•	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	GS	•	×	3
Mauritius	2R	×	×	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	•	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	×	•	×	3
Morocco	2R	1R	QF	QF	SF	1R	•	GS	•	1st	•	•	4th	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	QF	•	q	12
Mozambique	×	×	×	PR	QF	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	GS	•	4
Namibia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	1
Niger	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	×	×	×	×		•	•	×	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	1
Nigeria	SF	SF	1st	1st	1st	1st	×	GS	3rd	•	2nd	GS	•	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	3rd	1st	•	4th	•	3rd	q	19
Rwanda	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	×	×	•	1
Senegal	×	×	PR	×	×	PR	•	GS	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2nd	2nd	2nd	•	1st	q	9
Sierra Leone	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	q	1
Somalia	×	×	×	×	SF	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	×	1
South Africa	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	2nd	•	GS	GS	•	•	4th	GS	•	GS	4th	3rd	•	•	q	9
South Sudan	Country didn't exist: part of Sudan																	×	×	×	•	•	QF	•	1
Sudan	×	×	1R	1R	×	×	×	×	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	4
Tanzania	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	•	GS	•	q	2
Togo	×	1R	1R	×	2nd	×	×	•	•	×	•	×	•	×	•	×	•	×	•	×	•	•	•	•	3
Tunisia	2R	2R	1R	2nd	QF	1R		•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	4th	4th	•	8
Uganda	×	×	×	PR	PR	×	•	•	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	•	•	•	×		•	2nd	QF	•	4
Zambia	×	×	×	1R	1R	×	4th	×	GS	GS	4th	•	•	•	4th	•	•	•	GS	1st	•	•	GS	q	11
Zimbabwe	×	2R	QF	QF		×	•	•	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	•	3

Legend

• 1st – Champions
• 2nd – Runners-up
• 3rd – Third place
• 4th – Fourth place
• SF – Semi-finals
• QF – Quarter-finals
• GS – Group stage
• PR – Preliminary round
• 1R – First round
• 2R – Second round
• q – Qualified
•     — Hosts
•  ×  – Did not enter
•  •  – Did not qualify
•  ×  – Withdrew before qualification
•     — Withdrew after qualification
•     — Disqualified after qualification

Participating nations by year of debut

Participating nations by debut (Until 1989, counted Round 1, after 1991 counting Final 16)

Before 1989

• 1979: Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia
• 1981: Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Togo, Zimbabwe
• 1983: Angola, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Sudan, Swaziland
• 1985: Ghana, Zambia
• 1987: Somalia
• 1989: Congo, Lesotho, Mali

After 1991

• 1991: Cameroon, Egypt (hosts), Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Zambia
• 1993: Mauritius (hosts), Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal
• 1995: Burundi, Guinea, Mali
• 1997: South Africa, Sudan
• 1999: Angola, Malawi
• 2003: Burkina Faso, Gabon
• 2005: Benin (hosts), Lesotho
• 2007: Congo (hosts), Gambia
• 2009: Rwanda (hosts)
• 2011: No new team
• 2013: Algeria, DR Congo
• 2015: No new team
• 2017: No new team
• 2019: Niger (hosts)
• 2021: Central African Republic, Mauritania (hosts), Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda
• 2023: South Sudan
• 2025: Kenya, Sierra Leone

Player awards

Year		Player of the tournament		Top goalscorer
1991				Moustafa Sadek
1993
1995
1997		Benni McCarthy		Benni McCarthy
1999				Ousmane Bangoura
2001		António Mendonça		Pedro Mantorras
2003				Emad Moteab
2005				Mouhcine Iajour
2007		Fabrice N'Guessi		Fwayo Tembo
2009		Ransford Osei		Ransford Osei
2011		Edgar Salli		Uche Nwofor
2013		Saleh Gomaa		Aminu Umar
2015		Yaw Yeboah		Musa Muhammed
2017		Patson Daka		Luther Singh
2019		Moussa N'Diaye		Youssouph Mamadou Badji
2021		Abdul Fatawu Issahaku		Derrick Kakooza
2023		Lamine Camara		Pape Diop
2025		Tylon Smith		Momoh Kamara

FIFA U-20 World Cup performances

Team	1977	1979	1981	1983	1985	1987	1989	1991	1993	1995	1997	1999	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2023	2025	2027	Total
Algeria		QF																								1
Angola													R2													1
Benin															R1											1
Burkina Faso														R2												1
Burundi										R1																1
Cameroon			R1						R1	QF		R2					R1	R2								6
Congo																R2										1
Egypt			QF					R1					3rd	R2	R1		R2	R2	R1					R1		9
Ethiopia													R1													1
Gambia																R2							R2			2
Ghana									2nd		4th	QF	2nd				1st		3rd	R2						7
Guinea		R1																			R1					2
Ivory Coast	R1			R1				R1			R1			R2												5
Mali							R1					3rd		R1				R1	R1	3rd		QF				7
Morocco	R1										R2				4th									1st		4
Nigeria				R1	3rd	R1	2nd					QF			2nd	QF	R2	QF	R2	R2		R2	QF	R2		14
Senegal																				4th	R2	QF	R1			4
South Africa											R1						R2				R1	R1		R2		5
Togo						R1																				1
Tunisia	R1				R1																		R2			3
Zambia												R1				R2					QF					3

Legend

• 1st – Champions
• 2nd – Runners-up
• 3rd – Third place
• 4th – Fourth place

• QF – Quarterfinals
• R2 – Round 2
• R1 – Round 1
•      – Hosts
• q – Qualified for upcoming edition

See also

• Africa Cup of Nations
• U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
• U-17 Africa Cup of Nations
• FIFA U-20 World Cup

External links

• Official website
• Tournament records and statistics at RSSSF (Archive1, Archive2, Archive3, Archive4)
• Regulations -- Edition 2020 (Archive1, Archive2, Archive 3)