# 2024 COSAFA Under-17 Championship

The 2024 COSAFA U-17 Youth Championship (officially known as the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025 — COSAFA Qualifiers) was the 12th edition of the COSAFA U-17 Youth Championship (and the 4th time the tournament served as the qualifiers for the continental final tournament), the international youth football championship organised by COSAFA for the men's under-17 national teams of Southern Africa. Mozambique was initially designated to host the tournament but was stripped of the hosting rights due to ongoing protests following the 2024 Mozambican general election. It was then moved to Johannesburg, South Africa.
Zambia were the defending champions, having defeated South Africa 2–1 in the final of the previous edition, and they successfully retained their title by defeating Angola 2–1 in the final.

## Participation
### Participating teams

Twelve of the 14 COSAFA member nations have entered the competition, which serves as the regional qualifying tournament for the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations. Originally there were 2 qualification spots, but a third spot was added after the competition.
Note: All statistics exclude instances where the team was disqualified during the tournament.
| Team | Appearance | Last appearance | Previous best performance |
| Angola | 7th | 2021 (Champions) | Champions (2018, 2021) |
| Botswana | 9th | 2022 (Fourth place) | Third place (2002) |
| Comoros | 2nd | 2019 (Group stage) | Group stage (2019) |
| Eswatini | 8th | 2021 (Fourth place) | Runners-up (2002) |
| Lesotho | 8th | 2021 (Group stage) | Fourth place (2002) |
| Malawi | 11th | 2022 (Third place) | Champions (2001) |
| Mauritius | 6th | 2018 (Fourth place) | Runners-up (2017) |
| Mozambique | 6th | 2022 (Group stage) | Runners-up (1994, 2019) |
| Namibia | 7th | 2022 (Group stage) | Champions (2016) |
| South Africa | 11th | 2022 (Runners-up) | Champions (1994, 2002, 2020) |
| Zambia | 10th | 2022 (Champions) | Champions (2017, 2019, 2022) |
| Zimbabwe | 6th | 2018 (Group stage) | Champions (2007) |

#### Did not enter

* Madagascar
* Seychelles

### Draw

The draw was held on 5 September 2024 at 11:00 CET (UTC+2) at Maputo. The 12 teams were drawn into three groups of four teams, with hosts Mozambique seeded in Group A (position A1), the defending champions Zambia seeded in Group B (position B1) and South Africa seeded in Group C (position C1). The remaining 9 teams were allocated to two pots based on the results of the previous tournament edition and were drawn to the remaining positions.
| Seeds | Pot 1 | Pot 2 |
| Mozambique (hosts) Zambia (title holder) South Africa | Botswana Malawi Namibia | Angola Comoros Eswatini Lesotho Mauritius Zimbabwe |

### Squads

Each team was required to register a squad of 20 players for the tournament, with players born on or after 1 January 2008 eligible to participate.

## Venues

On 26 November 2024, it was announced that the tournament had been moved from the original host city, Maputo, Mozambique, to Johannesburg, South Africa, with two venues selected to host all matches.
| Johannesburg | Johannesburg | Johannesburg |
| UJ Soweto Stadium | UJ AW Muller Stadium | Johannesburg |
| Capacity: 8,000 | Capacity: 1,500 | Johannesburg |

## Match officials

The following officials were appointed to oversee the tournament:

### Referees

* Nelson da Silva
* Joyce Seonyatseng
* Moemedi Thabologang
* Thembinkosi Dlamini
* Nothando Nkhumane
* Wilson Muianga
* Mweshitsama Naftal
* Samuel Nghipandulwa
* Noris Arissol
* Nonjabulo Ndlela
* Chola Chansa
* Brighton Chimene

### Assistant Referees

* Dorcus Chenset
* Mooketsi Mankanku
* Celumusa Phiri
* Siza Dlangamandla
* Lameck Phiri
* Nandipha Menze
* Warren Mulenga
* Dominica Melusi

### Video Assistant Referees

* Letticia Viana
* Abongile Tom

### Assistant Video Assistant Referees

* Akhona Makalima

## Group stage

* Tie-breaking criteria for group play
* Should two teams finish on the same number of points in the pool phase, they will be separated by:
* The result of their head-to-head meetings in the first instance;
* Goal difference in all group matches;
* Goals scored in all group matches;
* Disciplinary points Yellow card: −1 point;Indirect red card (second yellow card): −3 points;Direct red card: −3 points;
* Drawing of lots.
* Should more than two teams finish level on points, the following criteria will be used:
* The greatest number of points obtained in the matches between the teams concerned;
* The goal difference in the matches between the teams concerned;
* The greatest number of goals scored in the matches between the teams concerned;
* If after applying criteria (1) to (3), two teams are still equal, the criteria will be reapplied to matches played between the two teams in question to determine the final ranking of the two teams.
* If this procedure does not allow for classification, the criteria listed below will be applied in the indicated order:
* Goal difference in all group matches;
* The highest number of goals scored in all group matches;
* Fair Play points system.

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Angola | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 7 | Semi-finals |
| 2 | Mozambique | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |
| 3 | Lesotho | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | Malawi | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 2 | |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Zambia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | +13 | 9 | Semi-finals |
| 2 | Zimbabwe | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 4 | Semi-finals |
| 3 | Namibia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 13 | −7 | 4 | |
| 4 | Eswatini | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | −6 | 0 | |

### Group C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | South Africa (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 9 | Semi-finals |
| 2 | Botswana | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 4 | |
| 3 | Comoros | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 2 | |
| 4 | Mauritius | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 1 | |

### Ranking of second-placed teams

The best second-placed team from all groups qualified for the semi-finals.
| Pos | Grp | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | B | Zimbabwe | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 4 | Semi-finals |
| 2 | A | Mozambique | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |
| 3 | C | Botswana | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 4 | |

## Knockout stage

In the knockout stage, a penalty shoot-out was used to decide the winner if necessary (no extra time was played).

### Bracket

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| 11 December – Johannesburg | 11 December – Johannesburg |
| Angola | 2 |
| Angola | 2 | 13 December – Johannesburg | 13 December – Johannesburg |
| Zimbabwe | 0 | 13 December – Johannesburg | 13 December – Johannesburg |
| Zimbabwe | 0 | Angola | 1 |
| 11 December – Johannesburg | 11 December – Johannesburg | | Angola | 1 |
| 11 December – Johannesburg | 11 December – Johannesburg | Zambia | 2 |
| Zambia | 2 | Zambia | 2 |
| South Africa | 1 | | |

### Semi-finals

Winners qualified for 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations

### Final
## Goalscorers

There were 70 goals scored in 21 matches, for an average of 3.33 goals per match.
7 goals
* Abel Nyirongo
5 goals
* El Shaddai Sadomba
3 goals
* Rethabile Nqoko
* Gabriel Phiri
* Mapalo Simute
* Valentine Macheka
2 goals
* Eliseu
* Kgosi Tshidi
* James Lumbe
* Brayton Paulse
* Neo Bohloko
* Kamohelo Maraletse
* Omphemetse Sekgoto
* Selwyn Stevens
* Tadiwa Chakuchichi
1 goal
* Densel
* Jario
* Dias Luvumbo
* Omar
* Kutlo Mananye
* Kaylan Saïd
* Aviwe Dlamini
* Menzi Dlamini
* Thuto Khetsi
* Clifford Chisale
* Yusufu Nantunga
* Julian Rabaye
* Aldo Ravina
* Kille Lino
* Levonor Timbe
* Andriano Gawab
* Stephen Kamulu
* Ronald Kandjou
* Christiano Useb
* Simphiwe Mlondo
* Sive Pama
* Emile Witbooi
* Robert Banda
* Nkotami Chimwemwe
* Jonathan Kalimina
* Nthasilwe Malupande
1 own goal
* Milko Solunga (against Zambia)
* Jonathan Kalimina (against Angola)

## Awards

The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:
* Player of the Tournament: Mapalo Simute
* Golden Boot: Abel Nyirongo (7 goals)
* Golden Glove Gelson Dala
* Fair Play prize: Angola

## Qualified teams for CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations

The following three teams from COSAFA qualified for the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
| Team | Qualified on | Previous appearances in U-17 Africa Cup of Nations |
| Angola | 11 December 2024 | 4 (1997, 1999, 2017, 2019) |
| Zambia | 11 December 2024 | 2 (2015, 2023) |
| South Africa | 5 February 2025 | 4 (2005, 2007, 2015, 2023) |