CAF Schools Football tourney Kicks Off

Sports Writer

THE 2024/25 CAF African Schools Football Championship COSAFA Qualifier begins today in Walvis Bay, Namibia, featuring eight boys’ and girls’ teams from Southern Africa competing for a spot in the continental finals.

This marks the third staging of the Under-15 regional qualifiers, following South Africa’s victories in Lilongwe, Malawi (2022), and Harare, Zimbabwe (2023).

Zimbabwe, Angola, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, hosts Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia will participate this year.

South Africa’s girls’ side, the 2023/24 continental champions, are favourites to win again.

The teams are divided into two pools, with the top two advancing to the semi-finals. Only the winner will qualify for the continental finals.

Notably, the girls’ competition now features 11-a-side matches on full-size pitches, a significant upgrade from previ-ous tournaments. In the 2023 continental finals in Zanzibar, winners received $300,000 for school development projects, runners-up $200,000, and bronze medalists $150,000.

Caf President Patrice Motsepe emphasized, “Schools football is vital for African football’s long-term development and growth. Investing in schools’ football and infrastructure is crucial.”

The Motsepe Foundation has significantly contributed to the annual tournament.

In a change, this year, the boys and girls tournament will see 11 players per side compete on a full-size pitch.

Previously, the girls’ tournament would have eight players per side compete on a half-size pitch. The matches in both the boys’ and girls’ tournaments are 20 minutes per half with a 10-minute halftime break.

There are unlimited substitutions, meaning coaches can keep rotating the players they have on the pitch, and all players must feature in the group stages so that everyone gets a chance to play.