By Amaechi Agbo

Tanzania and Senegal will square up on Tuesday night in Rabat to decide on the Winner of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2026 in what has been a thrilling AFCON U-17 Competition filled with suspense and dramatic results.

Tuesday night’s final will be played at 20h00 local time (19h00 GMT, 22h00 Tanzania time) at Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

The final will bring together two sides that have demonstrated resilience and mental strength throughout the competition.  Tanzania will be aiming to lift the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON trophy for the first time, while Senegal will look to further reinforce their reputation as one of Africa’s leading producers of young football talent.

Both finalists prevailed through nerve-wracking penalty shootouts following closely contested encounters, setting up a fascinating showdown .

Tanzania reached the final of the competition for the first time in their history after overcoming Egypt 4-3 on penalties following a goalless draw. The achievement marks another significant milestone in an outstanding campaign for the Serengeti Boys.

It is perhaps no surprise that they have also enjoyed recent success in the CAF African Schools Football Championship, winning the Boys competition in 2024 and 2025, with some of that generation now in the U-17 age group.

Senegal’s route to the final was equally dramatic as the Young Lions of Teranga edged hosts Morocco 7-6 on penalties after a thrilling 1-1 draw in front of a passionate crowd in Rabat.

Before the final, Morocco and Egypt will meet in the third-place match on Monday, 1 June, as both teams seek to conclude their campaigns on a positive note.

All four teams, plus losing quarter-finalists Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Mali and Algeria, along with play-off winners Mozambique and Uganda, have qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup to be played in Qatar later in the year.

Final Tuesday, 2 June 2026

Tanzania vs Senegal

Venue: Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Rabat. Kick-off: 7pm Nigeria time