Nigeria absent as CAF confirms 16 teams for U-17 AFCON 2026

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed the 16 countries participating in the 2026 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations, with Nigeria notably absent for the second consecutive edition. Their elimination occurred in the WAFU Zone B qualifiers, where the Golden Eaglets lost 2-0 to Ghana in the semi-finals in September 2025. The tournament will take place in Morocco from April 25 to May 15, 2026, and will also serve as Africa's qualification route for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.