The road to the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland has been officially set as the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) conducted the qualifiers draw on Thursday at its headquarters in Cairo.

Scheduled for August 2026, the tournament will feature 24 teams, with Africa guaranteed four spots. A total of 38 African nations will compete for these coveted slots through a series of four knockout rounds played over home-and-away fixtures.

Qualifiers Format

1. First Round

• The 12 lowest-ranked teams, based on past U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers performance, will compete.

• The six winners will progress to join 26 top-ranked teams in the second round.

2. Second Round

• A total of 32 teams, comprising the six first-round winners and 26 exempted teams, will battle for 16 spots in the third round.

3. Third Round

• The remaining 16 teams will engage in knockout matches, with eight winners advancing to the fourth round.

4. Fourth Round

• The final eight teams will play home-and-away ties, with the four victors securing tickets to Poland 2026.

CAF’s structured qualification process highlights the growing competitiveness of African women’s football as the continent prepares to select its representatives for the global stage.