By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
The Confederation of African Minifootball (CAFM/AMC) has confirmed the seeding pots for the 5th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations of Mini-Football.
The expanded 24 nations tournament is scheduled to play between January 9th-23rd, 2027 in Conakry, Guinea. The 24-nations tournament is a record for the competition with previous editions played by 16 nations in 2025.
The division of the 24 nations participating in the different pots has been established by the Confederation of African Minifootball (CAFM) based on sporting criteria; rankings, past performances, among other.
The 24 teams are divided into 4 pots. Sierra Leone’s national mini-football team has been seeded in Pot 4, alongside Tanzania, Kenya, Gambia, and South Sudan. The sixth and final spot in Pot 4 is occupied by the Wildcard team to be confirmed before the official draw on July 25th, 2026 in Conakry.
This is a competitive but winnable pot. Sierra Leone will likely face one team from each other pot in the group stage, a standard format for 24-team tournaments, 6 groups of 4.
The two best ranked nations from each group + best four third-placed teams advance to Round of 16. The top-performing teams from the 24-nation African tournament will earn spots at the next 2027 WMF World Cup.
This is the small-sided minifootball variant, usually 5v5 including goalkeeper, sometimes 4v4 or 6v6 depending on the edition, similar on smaller pitches, not the main 11-a-side AFCON, emphasizing quick passes, individual skill, and constant pressure.
Guinea is investing heavily in infrastructure upgrades with the Stade du 28 Septembre, Nongo, Stade Du General Lansana Conte, urban parks as well as creating partnerships, and positioning itself as Africa’s “minifootball capital”.
The country also wants to host the AMC headquarters and is building a national league/championship aiming for 33+ clubs plus dozens of dedicated pitches for grassroots development. A follow-up Committee with members from Burkina Faso, Benin, Mali, etc. is overseeing logistics.
Full Pot Breakdown (as per CAFM allocation):
Pot 1 (Top seeds):
Pot 1: Guinea (hosts), Libya (defending champions), Senegal, Mauritania, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire.
Pot 2:
South Africa, Chad, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Sudan.
Pot 3:
Benin, Uganda, Mali, DR Congo, Mauritius, Morocco.
Pot 4:
Tanzania, Kenya, Gambia, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Wildcard.