Zimbabwe is set to welcome Africa’s brightest young football talent as Harare has been confirmed as the host city for the 2026 CAF African Schools Football Championship Continental Finals, taking place from 2–10 April. The tournament marks a significant return for Zimbabwe to the continental football scene, being the country’s first CAF event in over six years, and highlights its growing reputation as a capable host for major African football competitions.
This will be the first time in over six years that Zimbabwe hosts a CAF event, a development widely seen as a vote of confidence in the country’s readiness to stage major competitions again. The championship itself, launched in 2021 under CAF President Patrice Motsepe, has rapidly evolved into a platform that blends sport with education, youth empowerment, and community development. With millions of participants from tens of thousands of schools across the continent, it has grown into the largest schools football initiative globally.
The upcoming finals in Harare will bring together 16 teams in both the boys’ and girls’ categories, including Zimbabwe as hosts alongside reigning champions and top-performing nations from across Africa.
While the matches will provide plenty of on-field excitement, the tournament’s impact extends far beyond football. CAF will once again run parallel development programmes covering refereeing, coaching, medical training, journalism, and safeguarding, reinforcing the competition’s role in building skills and careers within the wider football ecosystem.
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Financial incentives also underline the tournament’s developmental focus. Prize money awarded to top-performing teams is directed toward improving school infrastructure, including sports facilities, classrooms, and libraries, ensuring that success on the pitch translates into lasting benefits for communities.
The Zimbabwe Football Association has welcomed the announcement, emphasizing both its symbolic and practical importance for the country. In a statement, ZIFA said:
“The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) welcomes CAF's confirmation that Harare, Zimbabwe, will host the 2026 CAF African Schools Football Championship Continental Finals from 2 to 10 April 2026. The hosting of the tournament marks an important moment for Zimbabwean football, as it will be the first CAF event staged in the country in more than six years. It also reflects growing confidence in Zimbabwe's ability to host major continental football events.
Launched in 2021 under the leadership of CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, the CAF African Schools Football Championship has become Africa's flagship schools football programme, combining football, education and social development. Since 2022, more than three million boys and girls from 82,477 schools across 48 African countries have taken part.
The Harare finals will feature 16 teams, including host nation Zimbabwe, zonal champions and invited teams from CAF's sister confederations. In addition to the matches, the event will also include CAF-led capacity-building programmes for young referees, reporters, medical officers, coaches and safeguarding practitioners.
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