Football fans across Africa have something wonderful to celebrate today as Rabat, Morocco, becomes the center of continental futsal excitement. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is conducting the official draw for the CAF Futsal Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 Qualifiers, marking the beginning of an inspiring journey for 17 national teams pursuing their dreams on the futsal stage.

The draw ceremony, streaming live on CAF TV at 1 p.m. local time, represents more than just a tournament bracket—it's a celebration of African futsal's remarkable growth and the passion of nations committed to excellence in this dynamic sport.

Morocco enters this tournament cycle with impressive credentials, standing as the proud defending champions after their spectacular performance in 2024. The Atlas Lions delivered a commanding 5-1 victory over Angola in the final held in Rabat, demonstrating the beautiful, fast-paced futsal that has captivated fans across the continent. This victory marked their historic third consecutive title, tying them with Egypt for the most CAF Futsal AFCON championships in history at three each.

The Moroccan team's journey to dominance tells an inspiring story of dedication and growth. Their first title came in 2016 with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Egypt in South Africa. They followed this with a dominant 5-0 home triumph in Laayoune in 2020, and now their 2024 success completes an unprecedented three-peat. Even more impressively, Morocco has translated this continental success to the global stage, consistently qualifying for FIFA Futsal World Cups and reaching the quarter-finals in both 2021 and 2024, proving African futsal belongs among the world's elite.

Today's draw welcomes an enthusiastic group of seventeen nations ready to write their own success stories: Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Libya, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Each team brings unique talent and determination to this qualification campaign.

The qualification structure promises exciting competition through two knockout rounds with home-and-away fixtures. Six teams will begin their journey in the First Round, competing in three pairings with the winners advancing to join eleven directly qualified teams in the Second Round. CAF has thoughtfully used FIFA Futsal World Rankings to create balanced matchups, ensuring competitive and entertaining football throughout.

The top-seeded nations—Egypt, Libya, and Angola—will face First Round winners, while the remaining teams are matched according to their rankings to promote competitive balance. This thoughtful approach gives every participating nation a fair opportunity to showcase their talents and progress toward the final tournament.

By the conclusion of the qualifying rounds, seven deserving teams will have earned their place alongside hosts Morocco at the continental finals, creating an eight-team showcase of African futsal at its finest. This tournament represents not just competition, but the beautiful growth of futsal across the African continent, inspiring young players and bringing communities together through sport.