Khumalo Confident As Amajimbos Target World Cup Qualification In Morocco
Amajimbos coach Vela Khumalo has announced a 21-man squad to represent South Africa at the upcoming 2026 U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will be held in Morocco from 13 May to 2 June.
The tournament will also serve as a qualifier for the 2026 FIFA U17 Men’s World Cup, scheduled to take place in Qatar in November.
Khumalo has retained the core of the squad that won the COSAFA U17 Cup in Zimbabwe in September last year.
“This is largely the same team that played in and won the COSAFA U17 Men’s Cup,” said Khumalo.
“We have added about four players to strengthen the squad and to improve rotation options.
“Remember, AFCON is an annual tournament, so you also have to introduce younger players. We also have some who featured at the World Cup last year, so it’s about balancing the squad while also preparing for the next COSAFA tournament later this year.”
At the AFCON tournament, Amajimbos have been drawn in Group D alongside Senegal, Ghana and Algeria.
Sixteen nations will compete in the tournament, with the top 10 teams qualifying for the FIFA U17 Men’s World Cup in Qatar. Khumalo is confident about South Africa’s prospects.
“From what we have seen, we believe we have a very good chance of progressing from this group. We know Senegal are very physical and strong, and the same applies to Ghana. Algeria are more or less similar to us. We have analysed all of them and believe we can do well,” Khumalo continued.
“We have set ourselves the goal of qualifying for the World Cup. But beyond that, going to the World Cup should not only be about getting out of the group stages — we also want to see ourselves progressing deeper into the tournament.”
South Africa will open their 2026 U17 AFCON campaign against Senegal on Thursday, 14 May, before facing Algeria on Sunday, 17 May.
Amajimbos will conclude their group-stage fixtures against Ghana on Wednesday, 20 May.
The semi-finals are scheduled for Thursday, 28 May, while the final will take place on Tuesday, 2 June, following the third-place playoff.
Complex Mohammed VI will host all matches except the opening game, both semi-finals and the final, which will be played at Moulay Hassan Stadium.
Amajimbos are set to depart for North Africa on Sunday.
