Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa march into U-20 World Cup knockouts

Three of Africa’s four representatives — Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa — have booked their spots in the Round of 16 at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, after a thrilling conclusion to the group phase on Sunday night.

Only Egypt missed out narrowly despite their spirited 2-1 win over hosts Chile in Santiago.

Morocco, the standout African team so far, topped Group C with two impressive victories — against Spain and Brazil — before a narrow defeat to Mexico.

The Atlas Cubs will now face Korea Republic in Rancagua on Thursday, 9 October, with the winner set to meet either Italy or the USA in the quarter-finals.

Nigeria, meanwhile, advanced as one of the best third-placed teams after a battling 1-1 draw with Colombia in Talca.

The Flying Eagles had earlier edged Saudi Arabia 3-2 in a dramatic group clash and will now face Argentina in Santiago — a repeat of their memorable encounters in past youth tournaments.

Coach Aliyu Zubairu praised his side’s resilience:

“It wasn’t easy but we stood our ground and were proactive. We knew they are physically strong and good on the ball so we tried to deny them passing lanes. All we wanted was to qualify for the next round.”

For South Africa, it has been a breakthrough campaign. The Amajita, reigning African U-20 champions, sealed their qualification with a 2-1 win over the USA, their second victory of the tournament after hammering New Caledonia 5-0.

The result sends them into a tough last-16 clash against Colombia on Wednesday, 8 October in Talca.

Coach Raymond Mdaka lauded his side’s progress, saying: “The players have shown great maturity and hunger to compete at this level. We believe we can go further if we remain disciplined and take our chances.”

While Morocco’s tactical discipline, Nigeria’s fighting spirit, and South Africa’s attacking flair have given the continent much to cheer about, Egypt’s exit was a cruel blow.

Despite defeating hosts Chile 2-1 in their final group match, the Young Pharaohs missed out on qualification due to an inferior fair-play record — finishing level on points but with more yellow cards than the South Americans.

The performances of the African teams have reignited optimism about the continent’s growing influence in world youth football, as all three surviving nations now aim to emulate Ghana’s famous 2009 U-20 World Cup triumph.

The knockout round fixtures offer no easy paths, but African hopes remain alive in Chile 2025.

Morocco take on Korea Republic, Nigeria face Argentina, and South Africa meet Colombia — three matches that could further underline Africa’s rising football pedigree on the global stage.

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