U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers: DRC-Djibouti scheduled for April in Kinshasa

Kinshasa, January 12^th, 2026 (CPA). – The Leopards Under-17 women’s team from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Gazelles from Djibouti are scheduled to play in April in Kinshasa (the Congolese capital) in the first round of the 2026 Women’s U-17 World Cup qualifiers, according to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) website. According to this source, consulted on Monday by CPA, the first leg has been set for April 10^th, 11^th and 12^th at the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa, while the second leg will be played between the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th of the same month. A total of 31 African teams are competing in the African zone qualifiers, which will be played in three knockout rounds, with home and away matches.  At the end of the third round, four teams will qualify for the final phase of this global competition (U-17) organised by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), which will take place in Morocco in 2026.

The dates and pairings for the 2026 U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers

First round: first leg: April 10^th, 11^th, 12^th and second leg: April 17^th, 18^th, 19^th, 2026

Niger-Guinea, Burkina Faso-Benin, Sierra Leone-Ivory Coast, Tunisia-Senegal, Algeria-Cameroon, Togo-Ghana, Libya-Liberia, Rwanda-Zambia, DR Congo-Djibouti, South Sudan-Ethiopia, Malawi-Burundi, Botswana-Tanzania, Central African Republic-South Africa,  Zimbabwe-Uganda, Namibia-Kenya.

Second round: first leg: May 22^nd, 23^rd, 24^th  and second leg: May 29^th, 30^th, 31^st

Niger-Guinea vs Nigeria, Burkina Faso-Benin vs Sierra Leone-Côte d’Ivoire, Tunisia-Senegal vs Algeria-Cameroon, Togo-Ghana vs Libya-Liberia, Rwanda – Zambia vs DR Congo-Djibouti, South Sudan-Ethiopia vs Malawi-Burundi, Botswana-Tanzania vs Central African Republic-South Africa, Zimbabwe-Uganda vs Namibia-Kenya

Third round: first leg: July 3^rd, 4^th , 5^th  and second leg: July 10^th, 11^th, 12^th  

th  Winner Niger-Guinea vs Nigeria matches/winner of matches Burkina Faso-Benin vs Sierra Leone-Ivory Coast; winner of matches Tunisia-Senegal vs Algeria-Cameroon/winner of matches Togo-Ghana vs Libya-Liberia; winner of Rwanda-Zambia vs DR Congo-Djibouti/winner of South Sudan-Ethiopia vs Malawi-Burundi; winner of Botswana-Tanzania vs Central African Republic-South Africa/winner of Zimbabwe-Uganda vs Namibia-Kenya. ACP/