# CAF U-23 AFCON qualifying campaign

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/caf-u-23-afcon-qualifying-campaign
> Updated: 2026-10-01T09:02:16.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

The opening round of the 2027 Africa U23 Cup of Nations qualifying campaign has seen several teams secure significant first-leg advantages.

In one match, Kenya’s U23 national team, the Emerging Stars, defeated Tanzania 4-1 at Nyayo National Stadium. Kenya established an early lead in the first minute and maintained dominance throughout the match, with additional goals from Lawrence Okoth, Kevin Wangaya, and Kelly Madada. If Kenya advances, they are scheduled to face Ivory Coast in the second round.

Other decisive first-leg victories include Zimbabwe defeating Mauritius 2-0, Rwanda defeating Sudan 3-0, and South Sudan securing a 3-0 win against Djibouti. Some matchups resulted in draws, such as the 1-1 scorelines between Angola and Namibia, and Togo and Libya.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-01: African teams secure leads in CAF U-23 AFCON qualifiers

Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and South Sudan secured commanding first-leg victories in the CAF Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers, while other matchups ended in draws.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/african-teams-secure-leads-in-caf-u-23-afcon-qualifiers

### 2026-09-27: Kenya Emerging Stars defeat Tanzania 4-1 in U23 AFCON qualifier

Kenya’s Emerging Stars defeated Tanzania 4-1 in the first leg of the U23 AFCON qualifiers at Nyayo National Stadium, putting them in a strong position to advance toward the 2027 tournament.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kenya-emerging-stars-defeat-tanzania-4-1-in-u23-afcon-qualifier

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Cite as: CAF U-23 AFCON qualifying campaign. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/caf-u-23-afcon-qualifying-campaign