African Schools Championship format explained: How does the tournament work?

The 2025 Confederation of African Football Schools Championship gets underway on Wednesday (23April) with Ghana girls making their debut against Morocco at the University of Ghana Stadium.

The CAF African Schools Football Championship which was launched in 2022 is an organised schools’ football competition that aims to elevate the standard and quality of school football across Africa.

In the inaugural edition held in 2023, Guinea won the boys’ category but lost the title to Tanzania last year. In the girls category, South Africa are the defending champions,  and Tanzania won it in 2023.

This year’s edition promises to be more impactful with the theme, “Encourage, Educate and Engage” coupled with series of capacity-building programmes.

Eight teams are drawn in two groups of four with winners proceeding to the final. $150,000 cash prize. The winner of the competition will take home $300,000, while the runner-up will take $200,000.

All students must be a maximum of 15 years old by the end of the calendar year in which the finals of the Championship is played (i.e. all players of the teams were born on or after 1 January 2010).

All students must be at least 14 years old by the end of the calendar year in which the final of the Championship is played. (i.e. all players of the teams were born on or after 31 December 2011).

Format of the matches

Both Girls and Boys matches are played in an 11-a-side football format, with each team fielding eleven (11) players.

The matches shall be played over two halves of 20 minutes, with a 10-minute break.

In case of a draw after the end of the regular time, the winner shall be determined by penalty kicks.

All substitutes must be used in all the group matches so that each player is given an opportunity to play. There is no limit on the number of substitutions, however the substitution must be performed when the ball out of the field of play or stopped by the referee.

How do the Group standings work?

In case of two teams having equal points at the end of the group matches, the teams will be ranked according to the following criteria in the order listed below:

The highest number of points obtained in the match between the two concerned teams.

The goal difference in all group matches.

 The highest number of goals scored in the whole group matches.

A drawing of lots conducted by the Organising Committee of the Continental Phase.

In case of equality between more than two teams at the end of the group matches, the teams will be ranked according to the following criteria in the order listed below:

The highest number of points obtained in the matches between the concerned teams.

The best goal-difference in the matches between the concerned teams.

The greatest number of goals scored in the matches between the concerned teams.

A drawing of lots conducted by the Organizing Committee of the Continental Phase.

If a player receives two yellow cards during two different matches, they will automatically be suspended from their team’s subsequent match.

If a player is sent off because of a direct or indirect red card, they will automatically be suspended from their team’s subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed in the case of a direct red card.

Any suspension that cannot be served during the African Schools Football Championship Final will be carried over to the representative team’s next official match in the same age group. Where the suspension cannot be served in the same age group, it shall be carried over to the next highest age group.

CAF African Schools Football Championship Ghana 2025 official Draw:

Girls

Group A: Ghana (Hosts), Morocco, Benin, Malawi

Group B: South Africa (Defending Champions), Uganda, DR Congo, The Gambia

Boys

Group A: Ghana (Hosts), Uganda, South Africa, Algeria

Group B: Tanzania (Defending Champions), Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire (debut), DR Congo

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