Botswana’s Young Zebras are setting their sights on making history as they prepare for the TotalEnergies Confederation of African Football (CAF) U20 Africa Cup of Nations, Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Qualifier Mauritius 2026, taking place from September 18 to 27.
The national under-20 side faces a steep task after being drawn in Group C alongside powerhouse Zambia, who hold a record 12 titles, as well as Malawi and Comoros. With only the three group winners and the single best runner-up advancing to the semi-finals, there is almost no room for error.
Despite being regular tournament contenders, the Young Zebras have struggled to break through the pool stages in recent history. Across 27 years of competition, Botswana has reached the knockout phase just twice, recording back-to-back third-place finishes in 2009 and 2011. Following agonizing group-stage exits in both 2020 and 2025, the current generation heads to Mauritius determined to buck the trend and secure a place in the final four.
–Channelfrica–
