Morocco, Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa book FIFA U20 World Cup spots
Published: Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Africa's four representatives for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025™ have now been confirmed, with Morocco, Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa all sealing qualification by reaching the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
The four sides booked their tickets following hard-fought quarter-final victories in a day filled with tension, drama, and high stakes.
Morocco were the first to punch their ticket, edging Sierra Leone 1-0 after extra time thanks to a late own goal.
The tightly contested match was decided in the 115th minute, ending Sierra Leone's impressive debut campaign.
Hosts Egypt joined them after a thrilling comeback against Ghana.
Trailing 2-0, the young Pharaohs forced penalties with a last-gasp equaliser and held their nerve in the shootout to win 5-4 and book a return to the global stage.
Nigeria, the continent's most decorated U20 side, advanced after defeating defending champions Senegal on penalties.
The Flying Eagles kept calm under pressure to seal their record 14th appearance at the U20 World Cup.
South Africa completed the quartet with a 1-0 extra-time win over DR Congo, thanks to Thabang Mahlangu's decisive strike deep into added time.
The qualification of these four sides maintains Africa's strong tradition at the U20 global showpiece, with each team now shifting its focus to the semi-finals—and ultimately the continental crown.
The FIFA U-20 World Cup takes place in Chile from 27 September to 19 October 2025.
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