All eight teams vying for a spot in the third and final round of the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers have been identified.
Zambia, Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, Benin, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Algeria have all booked their places into the penultimate phase of the competition.
Only four will qualify for the World Cup, joining hosts Morocco as the five representatives of the African continent at the 24-team event from across all six confederations. It will take place from 17 October to 28 November this year.
The biggest winners of the second round of qualifiers were Cameroon, Kenya, Benin, Algeria and Nigeria.
Following a 5-2 victory in the first leg, Cameroon won 1-0 in the return fixture to claim a 6-2 aggregate triumph and they will now face Kenyan who showed no mercy to Uganda with 2-0 and 3-0 wins for an aggregate 5-0 victory.
The Nigeria Flamingos were too strong for South Africa, continuing from their first leg 3-1 success to register a 2-0 victory at home – winning 5-1 on aggregate. The West Africans will tackle Algeria after the North Africans staged a comeback with a 4-0 win at home, progressing with a convincing 5-2 aggregate. Algeria had lost 2-1 in the first leg in Botswana.
Zambia were in fine form as they brushed aside Tanzania 1-0 in the second leg to win 4-0 on aggregate, and they will face Benin, who defeated DR Congo 5-0 on aggregate. Benin has made women’s football history by reaching this far in the qualifiers.
Ivory Coast turned the tables on Burundi, coming back from a 1-3 loss in the first leg to win 3-0 in the reverse fixture, booking their ticket into the next round with a narrow 4-3 victory.
Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia were in the Dominican Republic for the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup and will be looking for back to back qualification.
The Zambian’s are the only COSAFA representative left in the qualifiers.
FIFA U-17 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP:
FIRST LEG SECOND ROUND /RESULTS:
| TEAM 1 | TEAM 2 | 1ST LEG | 2ND LEG | AGGREGATE |
| Ivory Coast | Burundi | 1 – 3 | 3 – 0 | 4 – 3 |
| Tanzania | Zambia | 0 – 3 | 0 – 1 | 0 – 4 |
| South Africa | Nigeria | 1 – 3 | 0 – 2 | 1 – 5 |
| Sierra Leone | Guinea | 2 – 2 | 1 – 2 | 3 – 4 |
| Cameroon | Ethiopia | 5 – 2 | 1 – 0 | 6 – 2 |
| Uganda | Kenya | 0 – 2 | 0 – 3 | 0 – 5 |
| Benin | Dr Congo | 2 – 0 | 3 – 0 | 5 – 0 |
| Botswana | Algeria | 2 – 1 | 0 – 4 | 2 – 5 |
THIRD AND FINAL ROUND FIXTURES:
| TEAM 1 | TEAM 2 | 1st LEG | 2nd Leg |
| Ivory Coast | Guinea | 18-20 April | 25-27 April |
| Kenya | Cameroon | 18-20 April | 25-27 April |
| Nigeria | Algeria | 18-20 April | 25-27 April |
| Zambia | Benin | 18-20 April | 25-27 April |
By Matlhomola Morake
