David GOMBE
The 2026 edition of the CAF African Schools Football Championship Continental Finals will be hosted in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 2nd to 10th April 2026.
The CAF African Schools Football Championship has established itself as Africa’s flagship schools football programme, combining football with education, social development and capacity building.
Following the successful completion of the Zonal Qualifiers, 16 teams comprising the Zonal champions, the host nation, as well as a historic invitation to teams from CAF’s sister Confederations – will compete in a tournament that remains proudly African, while strategically exposing young African talent to global football.
St.Mary’s Secondary School Kitende will represent Uganda in the boys category at the tournament due in Zimbabwe.
The CAF African Schools Football Championship, now on its fourth year, was initiated by CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, in 2021 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. The kick-off event was held in Mozambique, Maputo a few months later.
Now on its fourth edition, more than two million boys and girls have participated in the CAF African Schools Football Championship Programmes.
According to CAF, three (3) Million Boys and Girls have Participated since 2022 making it the biggest Schools Football Competition globally.
A total of 82 477 Schools accross Africa have participated in the Programme and total of 48 African Countries have Participated.
The winners in both the Boys’ and Girls’ categories receive USD 300 000 Runners-up are awarded USD 200 000 and third-place finishers receive USD 150,000.
The Motsepe Foundation invested initial USD 10 Million to contribute towards Prize Money and
Previous Hosts of the Finals include Tanzania (2024), Ghana (2025) and South Africa (2023).
2026 Participating Teams
GIRLS:
Zimbabwe (Hosts), Ghana (Champions), Burkina Faso, Morocco, Guinea, Tanzania, Zambia, DR Congo
BOYS:
Zimbabwe (Hosts), Tanzania (Champions), Benin, Morocco, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, DR Congo
CAF is expected to confirm details of the invitational teams from other Confederations.
