The U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, known for short as the U-20 AFCON and for sponsorship purposes as TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, previously known as the African Youth Championship and the African U-20 Championship, is the biennial international youth football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for its nations consisting of players under the age of 20. It serves as the African qualification tournament for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Quick Facts Organising body, Founded ...

U-20 Africa Cup of Nations

Organising body	CAF
Founded	1979 (qualification) 1991 (tournament)
Region	Africa
Number of teams	12
Current champions	Senegal (1st title)
Most successful team(s)	Nigeria (7 titles)
2023 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations

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In 1979, FIFA created a world championship for upcoming footballers, causing CAF to install a home-and-away qualification tournament for African nations called the African Youth Championship which also crowned the tournament's champions. In 1991, CAF upgraded the tournament into a full-scale tournament contested by 8 in a chosen host nation.

CAF changed the name of this competition to the African U-20 Championship for the 2011 edition so as to distinguish it from the U-17 competition. On 6 August 2015, the CAF Executive Committee decided to change the tournament's name to the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in line with the flagship Africa Cup of Nations tournament.^[1] However, the name on the official competition logo after 2015 reads as the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

On 21 July 2016, French energy and petroleum giant TotalEnergies (formerly Total S.A.) secured an 8-year sponsorship package from CAF to support its competitions.^[2][3]

Since the 2021 edition, the tournament has been contested by 12 teams.^[4]

More information Rank, Team ...

Rank	Team	Champions	Runners-up	Third-place	Fourth-place	Semi-finalists
1	Nigeria	7 (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2005, 2011, 2015)	2 (1999, 2007)	4 (1995*, 2009, 2013, 2023)	1 (2019)	2 (1979, 1981)
2	Ghana	4 (1993, 1999*, 2009, 2021)	2 (2001, 2013)	2 (1991, 2015)	1 (1997)	–
3	Egypt	4 (1981, 1991*, 2003, 2013)	1 (2005)	3 (1993, 2001, 2011)	–	–
4	Cameroon	1 (1995)	4 (1981, 1993, 2009, 2011)	1 (1999)	–	–
5	Senegal	1 (2023)	3 (2015*, 2017, 2019)	–	–	–
6	Mali	1 (2019)	1 (1989)	1 (2003)	4 (1995, 2011, 2013, 2015)	–
7	Zambia	1 (2017*)	–	–	3 (1991, 1999, 2007)	–
8	Algeria	1 (1979)	–	–	–	3 (1981, 1983, 1989)
9	Morocco	1 (1997*)	–	–	1 (2005)	1 (1987)
10	Angola	1 (2001)	–	–	–	–
	Congo	1 (2007*)	–	–	–	–
12	Ivory Coast	–	3 (1983, 1991, 2003)	1 (1997)	–	2 (1985, 1989)
13	Gambia	–	1 (2023)	2 (2007, 2021)	–	–
14	South Africa	–	1 (1997)	1 (2019)	2 (2009, 2017)	–
15	Guinea	–	1 (1979)	1 (2017)	–	1 (1983)
16	Tunisia	–	1 (1985)	–	2 (2021, 2023)	–
17	Togo	–	1 (1987)	–	–	–
	Burundi	–	1 (1995)	–	–	–
	Uganda	–	1 (2021)	–	–	–
20	Benin	–	–	1 (2005*)	–	–
21	Ethiopia	–	–	–	2 (1993, 2001*)	2 (1979, 1985)
22	Somalia	–	–	–	–	1 (1987)
23	Burkina Faso	–	–	–	1 (2003*)	–

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* = As hosts

More information Team, Years ...

Team	1979	1981	1983	1985	1987	1989	1991	1993	1995	1997	1999	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2021	2023	Years
Algeria	1st	SF	SF	1R	×	SF		•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	×	•	•	•	•	6
Angola	×	×	1R	1R	×	PR	×	×	•	•	GS	1st	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	6
Benin	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	×	×	×	3rd	×	•	•	GS	•	×	•	•	QF	3
Burkina Faso	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	4th	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	GS	QF	•	4
Burundi	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	2nd		•	×	•	×	•	•	•	×	•	•	GS	•	•	2
Cameroon	2R	2nd	QF	QF	1R	1R	GS	2nd	1st	•	3rd	GS	•	•	GS	2nd	2nd	•	•	GS	•	QF	•	16
Central African Republic	×	2R	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	•	QF	GS	3
Congo	×	×	×	×	×	×	×		×	×	•	×	×	×	1st	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	QF	3
DR Congo	×	×	×	×	×	1R	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	2
Egypt	1R	1st	QF	1R	QF	QF	1st	3rd	•	GS	•	3rd	1st	2nd	GS	GS	3rd	1st	•	GS	•	×	GS	18
Equatorial Guinea	×	2R		×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	×	•	×	×	×	•	•	×	1
Eswatini	×	×	1R	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	1
Ethiopia	SF	1R	×	SF	1R	×	GS	4th	•	•	•	4th	•	×	•	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	7
Gabon	×	PR	1R	×	×	QF		×	×	×	•	•	GS	×	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	×	×	5
Gambia	×	×	1R	PR	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	3rd	•	GS	×		•	•	3rd	2nd	6
Ghana	×	×	×	1R		QF	3rd	1st	•	4th	1st	2nd	GS	•	•	1st	GS	2nd	3rd	•	GS	1st	•	14
Guinea	2nd	1R	SF	QF	1R	1R		×	GS	•	GS	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	3rd	•	•	•	9
Ivory Coast	×	×	2nd	SF	QF	SF	2nd	×	•	3rd	•	×	2nd	GS	GS	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	11
Kenya	1R	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	•	•		•	•	×	1
Lesotho	×	×	×	×	×	QF	•	×	•	×	•	•	×	GS	•	•	GS	×	×	•	•	•	•	3
Liberia	×	×		×	×	PR	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	1
Libya	1R	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Malawi	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	GS	•	×	×	•	•	•	×	•	×	•	•	•	1
Mali	×	×	×	×	×	2nd	•	•	4th	GS	GS	GS	3rd	GS	•	GS	4th	4th	4th	GS	1st	•	•	13
Mauritania	×	1R	×	×	1R	×	•	•	×	•	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	GS	•	3
Mauritius	2R	×	×	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	•	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	×	•	3
Morocco	2R	1R	QF	QF	SF	1R	•	GS	•	1st	•	•	4th	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	QF	•	11
Mozambique	×	×	×	PR	QF	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	GS	4
Namibia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	1
Niger	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	×	×	×	×		•	•	×	•	•	•	GS	•	•	1
Nigeria	SF	SF	1st	1st	1st	1st	×	GS	3rd	•	2nd	GS	•	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	3rd	1st	•	4th	•	3rd	18
Rwanda	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	×	×	1
Senegal	×	×	PR	×	×	PR	•	GS	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2nd	2nd	2nd	•	1st	8
Somalia	×	×	×	×	SF	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	1
South Africa	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	2nd	•	GS	GS	•	•	4th	GS	•	GS	4th	3rd	•	•	8
South Sudan	Country didn't exist: part of Sudan																	×	×	×	•	•	QF	1
Sudan	×	×	1R	1R	×	×	×	×	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	4
Tanzania	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	•	GS	•	1
Togo	×	1R	1R	×	2nd	×	×	•	•	×	•	×	•	×	•	×	•	×	•	×	•	•	•	3
Tunisia	2R	2R	1R	2nd	QF	1R		•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	4th	4th	8
Uganda	×	×	×	PR	PR	×	•	•	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	•	•	•	×		•	2nd	QF	4
Zambia	×	×	×	1R	1R	×	4th	×	GS	GS	4th	•	•	•	4th	•	•	•	GS	1st	•	•	GS	10
Zimbabwe	×	2R	QF	QF		×	•	•	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	3

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Legend

Participating nations by Debut (Until 1989, counted Round 1, after 1991 counting Final 16)

Player awards

More information Year, Player of the tournament ...

Year		Player of the tournament		Top goalscorer
1991				Moustafa Sadek
1993
1995
1997		Benni McCarthy		Benni McCarthy
1999				Ousmane Bangoura
2001				Pedro Mantorras
2003				Emad Moteab
2005				Mouhcine Iajour
2007		Fabrice N'Guessi[11]		Fwayo Tembo
2009		Ransford Osei		Ransford Osei
2011		Edgar Salli		Uche Nwofor
2013		Saleh Gomaa		Aminu Umar
2015		Yaw Yeboah		Musa Muhammed
2017		Patson Daka		Luther Singh
2019		Moussa N'Diaye		Youssouph Mamadou Badji
2022		Abdul Fatawu Issahaku		Derrick Kakooza
2023		Lamine Camara		Pape Diop

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More information Team, Total ...

Team	1977	1979	1981	1983	1985	1987	1989	1991	1993	1995	1997	1999	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2023	2025	Total
Algeria		QF																							1
Angola													R2												1
Benin															R1										1
Burkina Faso														R2											1
Burundi										R1															1
Cameroon			R1						R1	QF		R2					R1	R2							6
Congo																R2									1
Egypt			QF					R1					3rd	R2	R1		R2	R2	R1						8
Ethiopia													R1												1
Gambia																R2							R2		2
Ghana									2nd		4th	QF	2nd				1st		3rd	R2					7
Guinea		R1																			R1				2
Ivory Coast	R1			R1				R1			R1			R2											5
Mali							R1					3rd		R1				R1	R1	3rd		QF			7
Morocco	R1										R2				4th										3
Nigeria				R1	3rd	R1	2nd					QF			2nd	QF	R2	QF	R2	R2		R2	QF		13
Senegal																				4th	R2	QF	R1		4
South Africa											R1						R2				R1	R1			4
Togo						R1																			1
Tunisia	R1				R1																		R2		3
Zambia												R1				R2					QF				3

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Legend

• Africa Cup of Nations
• U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
• U-17 Africa Cup of Nations
• FIFA U-20 World Cup