After nearly a decade on the sidelines of AFCON U-17, Ghana’s Black Starlets are back to compete in the Continent Youth Tournament .The Confederation of African Football has formally unveiled the match schedule for the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026, confirming Ghana’s place among the continent’s elite young talents and ending an absence that stretches back nine years.
The last time the Starlets graced the tournament, they went all the way to the final in Gabon, 2017.
Now, with a new generation of players and technical setup under head coach Prosper Narteh Ogum, the country is ready to reassert its credentials.
Drawn into Group D alongside Algeria, Senegal and South Africa, Ghana face a formidable set of opponents. The Starlets will open their campaign against the Algerians on May 14 at 7:00pm before testing themselves against the Teranga Lions of Senegal three days later on May 17 at 4:00pm. The group phase concludes against Bafana Bafana’s U-17 side on May 20 at 7:00pm.
The implications of this tournament extend far beyond the continental trophy. With Africa set to send ten representatives to the next FIFA U-17 World Cup, qualification routes are broader than ever. All eight quarter-finalists, together with the two most productive third-placed sides from the group phase, will earn their place to the U-17 World Cup.
Ogum’s men have left nothing to chance in the lead-up. A convincing 4–2 victory over True Democracy at the Accra Sports Stadium last Friday demonstrated the attacking threat the Starlets possess and offered an encouraging glimpse of the form they intend to carry into Morocco.
Preparations have intensified in the weeks leading up to the tournament, with the technical staff focused on building a solid team capable of qualifying to the World Cup.
CAF’s Festival Format
This edition of the tournament will also mark the debut of CAF’s new festival-style format, an innovative model that consolidates matches, training and team logistics into a single integrated environment for all participating countries. The concept, designed to amplify the tournament’s atmosphere and standardise operations across every age group competition, will be piloted for the first time at Morocco 2026.
With the exception of the opening match, the semi-finals and the final, all fixtures will be hosted at the renowned Mohammed VI Football Complex, one of Africa’s most advanced football facilities.
The arrangement promises not only a high-quality playing surface for every side but also a seamless experience that CAF believes will become a blueprint for future editions of its youth championship programme.
The tournament runs from 13 May to 2 June 2026. The Starlets’ last appearance ended with silver, this time, they are hunting gold.
