Ghana has been officially named as the host nation for the CAF African Schools Football Championship 2025 Continental Finals, set to take place from April 21 to 26, 2025, at the University of Ghana’s Legon Sports Stadium in Accra. This marks a historic first for West Africa, as previous editions were held in South Africa (2023) and Tanzania (2024). The tournament, launched in 2022 by CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has rapidly evolved into Africa’s premier grassroots football competition, engaging over 1.9 million young players from 46 nations.
Among the contenders, Uganda’s St. Noa Girls’ School and St. Mary’s Boarding School Kitende stand poised to challenge for the prestigious title and a share of the lucrative $300,000 grand prize. Both institutions, having secured their spots through the CECAFA qualifiers, will represent East Africa with high ambitions. Masechu Secondary School from Tanzania, the reigning boys’ champions, will also compete alongside Uganda’s representatives in the boys’ and girls’ categories, bringing the CECAFA region’s total to three teams.
The championship offers a total prize pool of $650,000, with the champions receiving $300,000, the runners-up $200,000, and third-place finishers $150,000. This substantial financial incentive, backed by the Motsepe Foundation, fuels CAF’s commitment to youth development, school infrastructure enhancement, and capacity-building programs. In addition to the competition, participating players, coaches, and officials will benefit from CAF’s D License coaching courses, safety and security workshops, young referees’ training, and medical officers’ programs.
With the backing of corporate partners like CANAL+, CAF aims to elevate the competition’s global appeal and further nurture Africa’s next generation of football stars. Sarah Mukuna, CAF Director of Member Associations, highlighted the tournament’s transformative impact, stating: “This competition continues to inspire young talent across Africa, fostering not only sporting excellence but also education, skills development, and opportunities for young players.”
The 10,000-seater Legon Sports Stadium, newly completed for the 2023 African Games, will provide a world-class stage for the young athletes to showcase their prowess, resilience, and determination. As Uganda’s representatives prepare to battle Africa’s finest, the stakes are high—not just for silverware, but for the life-changing opportunities that come with emerging victorious on the continent’s grandest school football stage.
