Tamer Mohamed
CAIRO — Egypt’s U-17 national team, the Young Pharaohs, has set its sights on continental qualification as it heads to Libya for the Union of North African Football (UNAF) qualifiers, aiming to secure a spot at the 2026 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations.
Early arrival
Led by head coach Hussein Abdel Latif, the Egyptian delegation travelled early to the Libyan city of Benghazi to give the players ample time to adapt to the conditions and complete their final preparations ahead of the qualifiers, which kick off on March 24.
The regional competition, which runs until April 5, will bring together the five members of the Union of North African Football – Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and hosts Libya – in a tightly contested round-robin tournament.
Only the top three teams will secure qualification for the 2026 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations in late April, which also serves as a stepping stone to the FIFA U-17 World Cup, making every match crucial in the battle for continental spots.
“The team is fully prepared for the tournament. We are focused on playing our football. Hopefully, success will come with God’s blessing,” Abdel Latif told The Egyptian Gazette.
Team building
Aware of the tough competition awaiting his players, Abdel Latif used the pre-tournament training camp and friendly matches to strengthen the squad both tactically and mentally.
“The preparation camp was a success,” Abdel Latif said, praising the intensity shown by the young players as they battled for places in the squad.
The Egyptian team, made up of players born in 2009, assembled for a closed training camp starting on March 4 at the National Teams Centre in 6th of October City. Twenty-four players took part in the intensive programme, aimed at sharpening the squad physically while developing tactical cohesion.
A former Egyptian international star of the 1990s, the tactician expressed satisfaction with the progress made during the training period and emphasised the importance of competitive friendlies in shaping the team’s approach ahead of the qualifiers.
“These matches helped us test different tactical systems and gave the technical staff a clearer picture of the players ahead of the tournament,” the ex-Zamalek player explained to the same paper.
During the final training sessions, the coaching staff placed strong emphasis on tactical organisation, rehearsing a variety of attacking movements and defensive structures aimed at preparing for different opponents.
Special focus was also given to executing and capitalising on set pieces, with the coaching staff viewing them as potential match-winning opportunities in tightly contested games.
Goalkeeping coach Amir Abdel Hamid, meanwhile, supervised specialised sessions designed to improve reflexes, positioning and overall match readiness for the team’s goalkeepers.
Warm-up games
The Young Pharaohs also gained valuable match practice through a series of friendly encounters in the lead-up to the qualifiers.
According to Abdel Latif, the matches provided important opportunities to evaluate players and refine tactical ideas before the tournament.
“The friendly matches were invaluable for the coaching staff. They helped us assess the squad and get the team ready for the challenges ahead,” he told The Gazette.
The coach singled out the friendly meetings with Tanzania as particularly beneficial, describing them as strong tests that allowed the technical staff to gauge the team’s readiness.
“The two matches against Tanzania provided a valuable test for the squad,” he said.
Despite several missed scoring opportunities, Abdel Latif expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance against Tanzania and emphasised his commitment to rotating the squad throughout the preparation period.
Nineteen players were given playing time in the friendlies, part of the coach’s strategy to ensure as many members of the squad as possible gain valuable match experience before the qualifiers begin.
Earlier in the preparation phase, the Young Pharaohs also played two friendly matches against Al-Nasr and Ra’a clubs, both of which ended in goalless draws.
Official backing
The team’s preparations have received strong support from the Egyptian Football Association.
EFA president Hany Abo Rida attended the squad’s final training session before departure to Benghazi, meeting with the players and technical staff to emphasise the federation’s confidence in the young team.
Abdel Latif also praised the support provided by the Egyptian Football Association, noting that the federation ensured all logistical and technical needs were met to create a professional environment for both players and staff.
EFA board member and team supervisor Walid Darwish also expressed optimism about the squad’s future.
“We have high hopes for this generation. They represent the future of Egyptian football,” Darwish said earlier this month in a video posted on the EFA’s Facebook page.
Darwish added in the same video that, over the past two years, the Young Pharaohs have continued to gain international experience through friendly matches in Poland, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Japan.
Big challenge
The North African qualifiers represent an important stage in the pathway toward global youth competitions.
With FIFA confirming that Qatar will host the FIFA U‑17 World Cup from 2025 to 2029, Egypt’s youth teams are increasingly focused on long-term development and international success.
Abdel Latif, assisted by former international Abdel Sattar Sabry and goalkeeping coach Amir Abdel Hamid, now faces the challenge of guiding the promising young squad through a demanding tournament where every point will matter.
Egypt will begin its qualifying campaign against Tunisia on March 27 in Benghazi before facing Morocco on March 30. The Young Pharaohs will then take on hosts Libya on April 2 and conclude their campaign against Algeria on April 5.
With preparations complete and expectations rising, the Young Pharaohs head to Benghazi determined to claim one of the coveted spots at Africa’s premier youth tournament – while continuing to build the next generation of Egyptian football.
“The Young Pharaohs have a strong chance of qualifying, just like the other teams in the tournament,” Abdel Latif said.
“All the sides involved know their football, so it promises to be a demanding tournament,” he added.
Qualifiers fixtures
The tournament will decide the three North African representatives for the 2026 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations in late April, making every fixture crucial in the race for qualification.
Tuesday, March 24
Morocco vs Tunisia
Libya vs Algeria
Friday, March 27
Egypt vs Tunisia
Algeria vs Morocco
Monday, March 30
Egypt vs Morocco
Libya vs Tunisia
Thursday, April 2
Egypt vs Libya
Tunisia vs Algeria
Sunday, April 5
Egypt vs Algeria
Morocco vs Libya
