Africa-Press – Eritrea. The draw has been concluded for the second edition of the CAF Under-17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT), to be staged in Harare, Zimbabwe from 8–18 December 2025, with exciting match-ups in the competition.
The draw was held at COSAFA House in Johannesburg, home of the host zonal union for this key development event.
The tournament, designed for clubs and academies, provides vital international exposure for young players. It was first played in Dar es Salaam in January 2025, where JKT Queens from Tanzania claimed the crown in the CECAFA region.
It will now be staged for COSAFA teams, with some familiar names included. Group A contains home side Mpopoma Sports Academy from Zimbabwe, along with Otjiwarongo Sports Academy from Namibia, South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns, and Luwinga Academy of Malawi.
Group B features Aguila Girls of Zambia, another Namibian club in the form of Okakarara Golden Ladies, Refilwe FC from South Africa, and Lishoeshoe of Lesotho. The top two teams in each pool will contest the final at the Ngoni Mwosa Stadium in Harare on Thursday, 18 December. The full fixture list will be announced in the coming days.
CAF introduced the GIFT U17 tournament to give club teams in this age group the opportunity to compete against their peers within their region, complementing the events already staged for national teams.
CAF has made the growth of women’s football a key aspect of its development agenda, and this tournament provides young players with the chance to showcase their skills and gain experience.
“The CAF GIFT U17 tournament was created to fill an important gap in women’s football,” CAF’s Head of Women’s Football Meskerem Tadesse Goshime said. “It aims to offer girls under the age of 17, who often play in senior leagues, an opportunity to compete at a higher level.
“This tournament not only enables young players to gain international experience, but also stimulates investment in women’s football at the level of national clubs and associations.
“The ultimate goal is to see more African countries participate in similar competitions as part of regional development. This tournament is a starting point for the expansion of girls’ competitions throughout Africa, and the idea is to create a platform for girls under the age of 17 to play in competitions appropriate to their level and age.”
CAF U17 GIRLS INTEGRATED FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT (GIFT) DRAW
GROUP A
Mpopoma Sports Academy (Zimbabwe)
Otjiwarongo Sports Academy (Namibia)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Luwinga Academy (Malawi)
GROUP B
Aguila Girls (Zambia)
Okakarara Golden Ladies (Namibia)
Refilwe FC (South Africa)
Lishoeshoe (Lesotho)
For More News And Analysis About Eritrea Follow Africa-Press
