TANZANIA’s U-17 national football team, Serengeti Boys, have arrived in Morocco ahead of the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), with head coach Aggrey Morris setting his sights on World Cup qualification.

The young Tanzanian squad travelled to Morocco from Egypt, where they concluded their final preparation camp. 

Morris expressed confidence in his team’s readiness, emphasizing that their ultimate goal is to secure a spot in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, set to take place in Qatar later this year.

“The Egyptian camp was a great success for us. The youngsters played several friendly matches, which have helped them gain the necessary experience and match fitness. We are now ready to compete and achieve our target qualifying for the World Cup,” said Morris. 

The Serengeti Boys have been drawn into a competitive Group A alongside tournament hosts Morocco, Zambia, and East African rivals Uganda. 

The top two teams from the group will progress to the quarter-finals, where qualification for the World Cup is at stake.

Despite acknowledging the tough competition, Morris remains optimistic about his team’s chances. 

“We know we are in a difficult group, but we are determined to succeed. Our goal is to reach the quarter-finals, which will guarantee us a place in the World Cup. Tanzanians should trust these young players. We are prepared, and everyone is ready to fight for our country,” he assured.

The Tanzanian side will kick off their Afcon U-17 campaign against Zambia on March 31 at 05:00 p.m. East African Time (EAT) at El Bachir Stadium in Casablanca. 

Their second fixture will be against Uganda on April 3, starting at 8:00 p.m. EAT, before concluding their group stage matches against hosts Morocco on April 6 at 10:00 p.m. EAT. 

All three group games will be played at El Bachir Stadium.

The 2025 U-17 Afcon features 16 teams, divided into four groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals. The eight teams that reach this stage will automatically secure qualification for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Here is how the groups are structured Group A: Morocco, Tanzania (Serengeti Boys), Zambia, Uganda, Group B: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, South Africa, Egypt, Group C: Senegal, Gambia, Somalia, Tunisia, Group D: Ivory Coast, Angola, Central African Republic, Mali.

The Serengeti Boys are making their third appearance in the U-17 Afcon, having previously participated in 2017 and 2019. 

On both occasions, they failed to progress past the group stage and missed out on a World Cup ticket.

This time, however, Morris and his team are determined to make history by becoming the first Tanzanian U-17 squad to qualify for the global tournament.

With their final preparations complete and their ambitions set high, the Serengeti Boys will now look to prove their strength on the pitch and fight for a place among Africa’s best young footballing nations.