COSAFA’s stars chase a global dream with FIFA Under-20 World Cup Qualification
For the 12 teams heading to Mozambique for the TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifier 2026, the prize stretches far beyond regional honours.
The tournament from September 18-27 is the first step on a road that could ultimately lead to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, a stage that has proved difficult for Southern African nations to reach in the past.
Only three COSAFA countries, Angola, South Africa and Zambia, have ever appeared at the global Under-20 finals.
Between them they have made nine appearances, with Zambia’s run to the quarter-finals in 2017 the best performance by a side from the region. For the latest generation, the journey starts in Mozambique.
The two finalists at the COSAFA Qualifier will advance to the TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana next year, where the continent’s places at the next FIFA Under-20 World Cup will be decided.
There could hardly be a better illustration of that journey than South Africa’s recent rise.
Amajita won the COSAFA Under-20 crown in 2024 to qualify for the TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations 2025 and then went a significant step further, lifting the continental trophy for the first time after beating Morocco 1-0 in the final in Cairo.
That triumph earned them a fifth appearance at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile later that year.
Their route was exactly the one the teams in Mozambique are now hoping to follow, success in Southern Africa, qualification for the continental championship and then a ticket to the global stage.
South Africa had previously appeared at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Malaysia in 1997, Egypt in 2009, Korea Republic in 2017 and Poland in 2019. Their best finish before Chile had come in 2009, when they reached the round of 16. They matched that achievement in 2025.
After opening their campaign in Chile with a narrow 2-1 defeat to France, Amajita responded emphatically by beating New Caledonia 5-0 before defeating the United States to advance from Group E. Their run was finally ended by Colombia, who won 3-1 in the round of 16.
For the defending COSAFA champions, who lifted the regional crown again in 2025, Mozambique therefore represents the opportunity to begin the whole journey again.
Zambia have appeared at the global finals three times, in 1999, 2007 and 2017, with their last visit producing one of the great Southern African youth campaigns. FIFA records Zambia’s quarter-final appearance in 2017 as their best finish at the competition.
That team arrived in Korea Republic as African champions and quickly showed why.
Zambia topped a group containing Portugal, Iran and Costa Rica before producing a remarkable round-of-16 victory over Germany.
Emmanuel Banda, Fashion Sakala and Enock Mwepu were among the scorers as they eventually prevailed 4-3 after extra time in a seven-goal thriller.
Their adventure ended in equally dramatic fashion in the quarter-finals, where Italy recovered to claim a 3-2 extra-time victory.
Zambia will arrive in Mozambique as the record 12-time COSAFA Under-20 champion . Their goal will be to begin the journey back to a global tournament they have not graced since that memorable 2017 run.
Angola are the third COSAFA nation to have reached the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, and they made their lone appearance count.
They travelled to Argentina in 2001 having been crowned African Under-20 champions and went through their World Cup group unbeaten.
A goalless draw against Czech Republic was followed by a 2-1 victory over Japan and a 1-1 draw with Australia, enough for Angola to finish top of their section.
Their run ended with a 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands in the round of 16.
Several members of that generation subsequently helped Angola achieve another landmark by qualifying for the senior FIFA World Cup in Germany in 2006.
