- Ghana hosts CAF African Schools Football Championship 2025
- Over 1.96 million participants from 46 countries have joined since its start
- Prize money and development programs offered
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced that Ghana will host the CAF African Schools Football Championship in 2025, which is scheduled to take place from April 21 to April 26.
The tournament’s Continental Finals will be held at the University of Ghana’s Legon Sports Stadium in Accra, marking the first time the event’s finals will be held in West Africa, following previous editions in Southern Africa (South Africa in 2023) and East Africa (Tanzania in 2024).
Launched by CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe in April 2022 in Maputo, Mozambique, the CAF African Schools Football Championship has grown significantly. To date, over 1.96 million boys and girls from 46 countries have participated, making it the most successful youth sports initiative in Africa.
Through a partnership with the Motsepe Foundation, which contributed USD 10 million, CAF has used prize funds to support legacy projects in schools, such as renovations, library construction, infrastructure development, and other community-focused initiatives.
The championship offers significant rewards: the winning team will receive USD 300,000, the runners-up will get USD 200,000, and the second runners-up will earn USD 150,000.
A total of 46 countries registered for the 2024/25 season, with national school teams competing in the Zonal Qualifiers from October 2024 to January 2025. The top teams from each of CAF’s six zones, along with the winning boys’ and girls’ teams from the 2023/24 Finals, will join Ghana as the host nation in the Continental Finals.
CAF’s Director of Member Associations, Sarah Mukuna, expressed excitement about the event: “We are thrilled for the upcoming CAF African Schools Football Championship in Ghana, a historic event that continues to inspire young talent across Africa. With support from partners like CANAL+, we are taking this competition to new heights, helping develop the next generation of football stars while providing opportunities for education, skills, and growth.”
In addition to offering young athletes the chance to compete on an international stage, the competition includes a capacity-building program for players, coaches, and educators. This includes:
- CAF D License
- CAF Safeguarding workshops
- Coaching courses
- Safety and Security workshops
- Young Medical Officers Program
- Young Referee Program
- Young Reporters Program
The matches will be played at the impressive 10,000-seat Legon Sports Stadium, completed for the 2023 African Games. The stadium also features excellent off-pitch facilities to host the various capacity-building programs that CAF will organize alongside the Championship.
CAF African Schools Football Championship Continental Finals 2024-25 Qualified Teams:
HOSTS
Girls: Ghana
Boys: Ghana
CECAFA
Girls: Uganda
Boys: Tanzania (holders), Uganda (runners-up)
COSAFA
Girls: South Africa (holders), Malawi (runners-up)
Boys: South Africa
UNAF
Girls: Morocco
Boys: Algeria
UNIFFAC
Girls: DR Congo
Boys: DR Congo
WAFU A
Girls: Gambia
Boys: Senegal
WAFU B
Girls: Benin (runners-up to Ghana)
Boys: Cote d’Ivoire
