Sierra Leone’s National U-20 Men’s Team has been drawn in Group B of the WAFU Zone A U-20 Tournament, alongside Senegal, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau.
The tournament is scheduled to be hosted in Mali in October 2026, with the participating teams battling for regional honours and qualification opportunities for the next Africa U-20 Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Sierra Leone last qualified for the U-20 AFCON tournament held in Liberia, where they reached the quarter-final stage before losing to eventual winners Morocco.
Head Coach Mohamed Lamin Kamara and his technical team have been preparing the squad for the tournament over the past two months, with the aim of assembling a competitive side for the regional competition.
The current squad is largely made up of home-based players, although the technical team could include foreign-based players if required as preparations continue.
Sierra Leone narrowly missed out on a place in the semi-finals at the last tournament, which would have also provided an opportunity to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup hosted in Chile.
The team will now face Senegal, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau in Group B, with Sierra Leonean football fans hoping the young Leone Stars can secure another qualification to the U-20 AFCON and make history by reaching the tournament in back-to-back editions for the first time.