AFCON U20 most successful teams

By Peter Ochieng

On Thursday, February 13, 2025, the Confederation of African Football (AFCON) released the draw for the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), throwing up a couple of exciting fixtures to look forward to.  

Ivory Coast will play host to the tournament, from 26 April to 18 May 2025, featuring 13 teams.

The tournament will follow a three-group format, with Group A containing five teams, while Groups B and C each feature four teams.

Top two teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-finals, along with the two best third-placed teams.

The tournament was founded in 1979, which means Ivory Coast will host the 18th edition this year.

Here is the 2025 AFCON U20 FULL DRAW:

Group A: Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, UNIFFAC representative

Group B: Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa

Group C: Senegal, Zambia, Kenya, and Sierra Leone

The AFCON U20 and U17 tournaments have over the years been breeding grounds for the next African footballing stars.  

Let us have a look at the most successful teams in the AFCON U20 history.

1. Nigeria

The Flying Eagles of Nigeria are the most successful side in the AFCON U20 history.

The team has won the title on 7 occasions (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, 2015), finished as runners up twice, four times as third place finishers and finished fourth once, in 2019.

Nigeria’s title triumphs came courtesy of wins against Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Togo, Mali, Egypt, Cameroon and Senegal.

It is the only team to win the title four times in a row – from 1983 to 1989.

2. Ghana  

The Black Satellites of Ghana have four AFCON U20 titles to their name, becoming champions in 1993, 1999, 2009 and 2021.

The team finished as runners up in 2001 and 2013. Ghana remains the only African team to have won the FIFA U20 World Cup, claiming victory in 2009.

3. Egypt

Like Ghana, the Young Pharaohs of Egypt have won the AFCON U20 championship four times in 1981, 1991, 2003 and 2013, defeating Cameroon, Ivory Coast (twice) and Ghana along the way.

Cameroon, Senegal, Mali, Zambia, Algeria, Morocco, Angola and Congo Brazzaville have won the AFCON U20 title once each.