CAF to use zonal qualifiers for youth competitions

The Executive Committee of the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) will from next year organize qualifiers for youth competitions on zonal basis.

This follows a resolution adopted at the Symposium on African football held in Rabat, Morocco, in July, this year.

Each zone is therefore expected to present a budget proposal and format to CAF for qualifiers by the end of October.

A statement from the secretariat of CAF said, the initiative is also to allow CAF to benefit from Union of European Football Association (UEFA), of which the former is bounded by a memorandum of understanding signed between the two.

According to the statement, a tournament will be organized in 2018, which will be sanctioned by the qualification of the country representing the zone.

Each of the six zones will qualify a team for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), whilst the titleholder will qualify an additional team.

In all seven countries will then join Tanzania for the final tournament.