Egypt face tough missions in CAF U-20, U-17, and CHAN Qualifiers - National Teams
Egypt's national football teams are set to tackle difficult journeys in various Confederation of African Football (CAF) competitions following Thursday's draw.
The Confederation of African Football conducted a draw for the U-20 and U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the African Nations Championship (CHAN), and the Women's Futsal AFCON on Thursday.
The Young Pharaohs have been grouped with Nigeria, Morocco, and South Africa in Group B of the AFCON U-20 tournament, scheduled to be held in Côte d'Ivoire from 26 April to 18 May 2025.
The top two teams from each of the three groups and the best two third-placed teams will progress to the quarterfinals.
This tournament will serve as a qualifier for the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2025 in Chile, with the top four teams earning automatic berths for the global event in September.
In the meantime, Egypt's U-17 national team will participate in the AFCON U-17 tournament in Morocco from 30 March to 19 April 2025.
The Pharaohs' youth team has been drawn with South Africa, Burkina Faso, and a yet-to-be-determined Central Zone qualifier in Group B.
With the tournament expanded to 16 teams, the top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, while the top 10 teams will secure spots in the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025, to be held in Qatar in November.
Egypt's home-based national team will face South Africa in the initial round of the CHAN 2025 qualifiers, with the winner progressing to face either Comoros or Malawi in the final qualification round.
The African Nations Championship, exclusively for players from domestic leagues, has been rescheduled to August 2025 after being postponed from February due to hosting challenges in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe announced a 75 percent increase in CHAN 2025 prize money, with the tournament winner set to receive $3.5 million.
On another front, Egypt's women's futsal team will compete in Group B of the AFCON Women's Futsal Championship alongside Angola and Guinea.
The tournament, scheduled to take place in Morocco from 22 to 30 April 2025, includes nine teams divided into three groups, with the group winners and the best second-placed team advancing to the semi-finals.
The top two teams will earn qualification for the FIFA Women's Futsal World Cup.
Egypt, a seven-time senior AFCON champion, aims to qualify for all CAF competitions and enhance the performances of its youth and local-based teams as part of a broader strategy to bolster its footballing presence on the continent.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
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