The match at Moulay El Hassan Stadium presents Tanzania with an opportunity to make history by becoming the first Tanzanian national team to win a Caf continental title
Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Under-17 national football team, popularly known as the Serengeti Boys, will tonight take on Senegal in the final of the CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 10pm East African Time in Rabat.
The match at Moulay El Hassan Stadium presents Tanzania with an opportunity to make history by becoming the first Tanzanian national team to win a Caf continental title.
The Serengeti Boys have already written a remarkable chapter in the country's football history by reaching the Afcon U-17 final for the first time.
Their impressive campaign has captured the imagination of football fans across Tanzania and highlighted the growing strength of the nation’s youth football development structures.
Head coach Elieneza Nsanganzelu believes his players are ready for the challenge despite facing one of Africa’s strongest youth football nations.
"We respect Senegal because they have a strong team, but we have prepared well and believe in our abilities.
The boys have shown courage, discipline and determination throughout the tournament.
We are ready to fight for the trophy and make Tanzania proud," said Nsanganzelu.
Tanzania's road to the final has been nothing short of extraordinary. The Serengeti Boys opened their campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over Mozambique before producing another dominant display to defeat Angola by the same scoreline.
Their only setback came in the final group-stage match, where they suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Mali.
However, the result did little to derail their momentum as they progressed to the knockout stage. In the quarter-finals, Tanzania survived a thrilling encounter against Algeria.
The match ended 3-3 after regulation time before the East Africans prevailed 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout to secure a place in the last four and qualify for the Fifa U-17 World Cup in Qatar later this year.
The semi-final against Egypt proved equally tense.
After a goalless draw, the Serengeti Boys once again held their nerve from the spot, winning 4-3 on penalties to reach the final. Several Tanzanian players have emerged as stars during the tournament.
Fourteen-year-old Dismas Athanasi Shida has scored three goals and become one of the competition's standout performers, while midfielder Razaki Mbelegendi has impressed with his creativity and two crucial goals.
The team's success has also been recognised at senior level, with Luqman Mbalasalu and Kassaim Juma receiving call-ups to the Taifa Stars squad for upcoming international friendlies against Uganda and Rwanda in Morocco.
Senegal, meanwhile, arrive in the final determined to retain the title they won in the previous edition. The Young Lions of Teranga reached the final after defeating hosts Morocco 7-6 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the semi-finals.
Goalkeeper Assane Sarr and playmaker Souleymane Commissaire Faye are expected to play key roles for the West Africans, who have built a reputation as one of the continent's most successful youth football nations.
For Tanzania, however, tonight's final represents more than just a football match. It is the culmination of years of investment in youth development and a chance for a talented generation to cement its place in the country's sporting history.
With the trophy now just one victory away, the Serengeti Boys will be hoping to complete a fairytale journey and bring African football's most prestigious youth title home to Tanzania.
