Somalia U-17 Team Heads to Rwanda for AFCON 2027 Qualifiers

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia’s under-17 national team has left Mogadishu for Rwanda to compete in the regional qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Under-17 tournament.

The Ocean Stars departed from Aden Adde International Airport on Monday ahead of the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations, or CECAFA, tournament, which will serve as the regional qualifying competition for the 2027 AFCON U-17 tournament.

Somalia, coached by Daadir Amin, has spent recent months preparing for the competition as it seeks another strong run at the regional level. The team won the CECAFA U-17 tournament in 2022.

Ten countries are taking part in this year’s competition: Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

The teams have been divided into three groups, with Somalia drawn in Group A alongside hosts Rwanda, Sudan and South Sudan.

Somalia Football Federation President and CECAFA Vice President Ali Abdi Mohamed, commonly known as Ali Shiine, wished the team success and urged the players to work hard and aim for another memorable campaign.

The tournament provides the young Somali players with an opportunity to gain international experience while competing for a place in the pathway toward the 2027 AFCON Under-17 finals.

Somalia’s preparations come as the federation continues to invest in youth football, with age-group national teams providing a route for young players to progress to the senior Ocean Stars.

The 2027 AFCON Under-17 tournament will be a major target for the participating teams, with the CECAFA qualifiers providing the first regional hurdle on the road to the continental competition.