Angola Looking to end the Long Wait for Glory

Angola will head into the 2026 COSAFA Under-20 Championship in Mauritius determined to finally end their long wait for regional glory.

The tournament runs from 18–27 September, with Angola drawn in a challenging Group B alongside defending champions South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini.

The top team from each group, plus the best runner-up, will reach the semi-finals. The two finalists will also qualify for the 2027 CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.

Nine semi-finals, no title

Angola’s record at the COSAFA U20 Championship is remarkable. They have reached the semi-finals in nine of the last 10 editions, but have never lifted the trophy.

They have finished runners-up four times, including three consecutive final defeats between 2000 and 2002, before losing the 2011 final to Zambia.

Their most recent campaign ended in disappointment, with Angola losing 2-0 to eventual champions South Africa in the 2025 semi-finals before falling to Zambia on penalties in the third-place play-off.

Only Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Mozambique have previously won the COSAFA U20 title.

Continental return also at stake

Mauritius 2026 offers Angola another major incentive. The Young Palancas have not appeared at the CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations since 2005, despite producing several talented generations.

Angola’s greatest continental success came in 2001, when they won the African U20 title after defeating Ghana 2-0 in the final. That squad included future stars Gilberto and Mantorras.

A place in the 2027 continental finals would therefore represent both a breakthrough at COSAFA level and Angola’s return to Africa’s premier U20 tournament after more than two decades.

Angola’s challenge is clear: turn years of semi-final consistency into the trophy that has repeatedly eluded them