Egypt clinch U-17 AFCON bronze after defeating hosts Morocco

By Betty Enoch 

 

 

Egypt secured third place at the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a convincing 2-0 victory over hosts Morocco in Monday's third-place playoff, capping an impressive campaign that also earned them a place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Mohamed El-Sayed gave the Young Pharaohs the lead in the 33rd minute before Ahmed Bashir put the result beyond doubt with a brilliant finish from inside the penalty area deep into stoppage time.

The victory ensured Egypt left the tournament with the bronze medal after a spirited run that showcased the country's emerging young talent.

Egypt's journey began with a goalless draw against Ethiopia before they claimed a crucial 2-1 victory over Tunisia in their second Group A fixture. 

A subsequent 2-1 defeat to hosts Morocco saw them finish second in the group on four points, enough to secure a place in the knockout stages.

In the quarter-finals, Egypt produced one of their best performances of the tournament, defeating Côte d'Ivoire 4-1 to book their place in the last four and secure qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Their hopes of reaching the final were dashed in the semi-finals, where they suffered a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Tanzania after a fiercely contested encounter.

Morocco, meanwhile, missed out on a place in the final after losing on penalties to Senegal in the other semi-final.

Despite falling short of the title, Egypt can take plenty of positives from a tournament that highlighted the strength of their youth development programme and delivered a coveted ticket to the global stage.

The Young Pharaohs will now turn their attention to the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, where they have been drawn in Group A alongside hosts Qatar, Greece and Panama.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from November 19 to December 13, 2026.