The nations of Senegal, Burkina Faso, Morocco, and Mali have been selected to represent the African continent at the upcoming 2023 FIFA U17 World Cup.
After the conclusion of the quarter-final matches on Thursday, the four sides secured their positions in the U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the upcoming 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup is slated to be the 19th iteration of the recurring international men’s youth football competition held every two years.
The participation of 24 teams representing the under-17 national teams of FIFA member associations from six confederations is a subject of contestation.
The event is scheduled to take place between the 10th of November and the 2nd of December, with the location yet to be determined, although it was originally planned to be held in Peru.
The present edition signifies the resumption of the tournament following a 4-year interval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which compelled FIFA to annul the 2021 edition.
The Nigerian Golden Eaglets have achieved significant success in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, with a total of eight appearances and a record-breaking five championship titles (in 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013, and 2015).
The team in question achieved the second position in three instances, namely in 1987, 2001, and 2009.
Nigeria has been crowned champions of the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations twice, with their initial victory occurring in 2001 and their most recent in 2007.
The team in question achieved the position of runners-up twice, in the years 1995 and 2013, and secured third place in the year 2003.
Brazil is the current defending champion, having secured their fourth title in 2019.
The African continent has been allocated four positions at the tournament. The Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been designated as the qualifying event, with the teams that advance to the semi-final stage earning the opportunity to represent Africa at the global tournament.
Among the qualified teams, Mali has the highest level of experience, having secured qualification on five previous occasions. This represents the individual’s sixth certification.
The pinnacle of their achievements was reached in 2015, wherein they were defeated by their African counterparts, Nigeria, in the final. The individual’s most recent academic attainment occurred in 2017 in India, where they achieved a fourth-place ranking.
The team attained the quarter-final stage in the years 1997 and 2001, while their performance in 1999 led to their elimination in the group stage.
Burkina Faso is set to return to the global stage after a nine-year absence since their last qualification in 2011, during which they were eliminated in the group stages.
The team in question has achieved qualification for the World Cup on four occasions. Their most notable accomplishment was during the year 2001, wherein they secured a third-place finish following a victorious 2-0 play-off match against Argentina.
Morocco has secured a spot in the World Cup for the second time in its history. The team’s inaugural appearance was in 2013, where they advanced to the round of 16.
Senegal has secured a spot in the World Cup for the second time in its history. The team previously made its debut in the tournament in 2019, replacing Guinea after its elimination.
In their inaugural endeavour, they advanced to the round of sixteen subsequent to securing the runner-up position in their group. In the knockout phase, the team suffered a 2-1 defeat against Spain.
(NAN)
