By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
The second edition of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Under-17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT) will be held in Harare, Zimbabwe, from Dec. 8 to 18, 2025.
The tournament will feature eight top clubs and academies from the Southern African region. This year’s tournament will again include eight teams divided into two groups of four.
“The CAF GIFT U17 tournament was created to fill an important gap in women’s football,” said Meskerem Tadesse Goshime, CAF’s head of women’s football. “It aims to offer girls under the age of 17, who often play in senior leagues, an opportunity to compete at a higher level.”
Goshime noted that the tournament not only provides international experience for young players but also stimulates investment in women’s football at the club and national association levels.
“The ultimate goal is to see more African countries participating in similar competitions as part of regional development.
This tournament marks the beginning of expanding girls’ competitions throughout Africa, creating a platform for under-17 girls to compete at an appropriate level.”
The draw for the pool phase is scheduled for COSAFA House in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov. 28 at 10 a.m. CAT (8 a.m. GMT).
CAF says, teams from six COSAFA nations will participate. Hosts Zimbabwe will send Mpopoma Sports Academy (MPOSA), which competes in the Zimbabwe Women’s Premier Soccer League.
South Africa will be represented by two teams: Mamelodi Sundowns and Refilwe FC from Gauteng. Namibia will also field two teams, Otjiwarongo Sports Academy and Okakarara Golden Ladies FC.
Zambia will be represented by Aguilla Girls FC, while Malawi will send Luwinga Academy. Lesotho’s Lishoeshoe will round out the field.
CAF developed the GIFT tournament to give club teams within this age group the opportunity to compete regionally, complementing existing national team events.
Promoting women’s football is a key aspect of CAF’s development agenda, and this tournament allows young players to showcase their skills and gain crucial experience.
The inaugural GIFT tournament took place in January 2025 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where local team JKT Queens claimed victory, defeating TDS Girls 2-1 in the final.
CAF U17 Gift Harare 2025 Competing Teams
Lesotho: Lishoeshoe
Malawi: Luwinga Academy
Namibia: Otjiwarongo Sports Academy
Namibia: Okakarara Golden Ladies
South Africa: Mamelodi Sundowns
South Africa: Refilwe FC
Zambia: Aguilla Girls FC
Zimbabwe: Mpopoma Sports Academy
