Africa U-20 Cup of Nations


The Total U-20 Africa Cup of Nations is the main international youth football competition for CAF nations, and is competed for by under 20 year olds. It is held every two years with the top 4 teams qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
From 1979 until 1989, the African representatives were determined purely on a home and away qualifying basis without a final tournament, with the African champions determined through the same qualification. Since 1991 there has been a qualifying stage followed by a final tournament played by 8 teams in a chosen country.
On 6 August 2015, the CAF Executive Committee decided to change the name of the tournament from the African Youth Championship to the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, similar to the senior's version, Africa Cup of Nations.
In July 2016, Total has secured an eight-year sponsorship package from the Confederation of African Football to support 10 of its principal competitions, including the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Champions League, renamed Total U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

Tournament summary

African U-21 Qualifying for World Cup

African U-21 Cup of Nations

African U-21 Championship

African U-20 Championship

Africa U-20 Cup of Nations

Performance by nation

Source for winners and runners-up: RSSSF

Participating nations

;Legend
Participating nations by Debut

Before 1989

YearPlayer of the tournamentTop goalscorer
1991
1993
1995
1997 Benni McCarthy Benni McCarthy
1999 Ousmane Bangoura
2001 Pedro Mantorras
2003 Emad Moteab
2005 Mouhcine Iajour
2007 Fabrice N'Guessi Fwayo Tembo
2009 Ransford Osei Ransford Osei
2011 Edgar Salli Uche Nwofor
2013 Saleh Gomaa Aminu Umar
2015 Yaw Yeboah Musa Muhammed
2017 Luther Singh Patson Daka

FIFA U-20 World Cup performances

;Legend
Team
1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

2015

2017

2019

2021
Total
QF1
R21
R11
R21
R11
R1R1QFR2R1R26
R21
QFR13rdR2R1R2R2R18
R11
R21
2nd4thQF2nd1st3rdR27
R1R12
R1R1R1R1R25
R13rdR1R1R13rdQF6
R1R24th3
R13rdR12ndQF2ndQFR2QFR2R2R212
4thR2QF3
R1R2R1R14
R11
R1R12
R1R2QF3