EXPLAINER: CAF African Schools Football Championship Dates, Venue, Teams
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has released more details about the CAF African Schools Football Championship set to take place next month:
What you need to know about the CAF African Schools Football Championship
- It is a youth football tournament organised by the continental football mother body, CAF for school-going children aged between 12 & 15.
- It is played in three phases namely; National, Zonal and Continental.
Who are the hosts?
Zimbabwe is hosting the Zonal Phase.
Tournament dates:
14 – 17 December 2023
Tournament venue:
Gateway High School, Harare
How many nations will participate?
10 teams including hosts will compete. These are Angola, Botswana, Madagascar, Zambia, Eswatini, Malawi, South Africa, Namibia, Seychelles, Angola and Zimbabwe.
TEAM DELEGATION
a. Boys team – 20 players
b. Girls team – 15 players
c. 1 Coach (Holder of a CAF C Licence. Strictly a female coach for the girls’ team)
d. 1 Team manager (Strictly a female manager for the girls’ team)
e. 1 Safeguarding Officer
f. 1 Member Association Representative
g. 1 Medical Staff
h. 1 Young Referee (same gender as the team)
FORMAT AND ORGANISATION OF THE MATCHES
1) U15 Girls Championship matches shall be played on a 8-a-side football format, with each
team fielding eight players.
2) U13 Boys Championship matches shall be played in an 8-a-side football format, with each team fielding eight players.
3) Under 15 Boys Championship the Matches shall be played in an 11-a-side football format,
with each team fielding eleven (11) players.
4) The matches shall be played over two halves of 20 minutes, with a 10-minute break.
5) In case of a draw after the end of the regular time, the winner shall be determined by the
taking kicks from the penalty mark in compliance with the Laws of the Game.
6) Minimum requirements per match:
a. Under 15 Girls Championship: match shall not start if either team has less than five
(5) players.
b. Under 13 Boys Championship: match shall not start if either team has less than five
(5) players.
c. Under 15 Boys Championship: match shall not start if either team has less than
seven (7) players.
7) The matches shall be played according to the laws decided by the International Football Association Board and promulgated by FIFA.
8) All substitutes must be used in all the group matches so that each player is given an opportunity to play. There is no limit on the number of substitutions, however, the substitution must be performed when the ball is out of the field of play or stopped by the referee.
9) The matches are played in the territory of each Member Association for the national phase and in each Zonal Union for the zonal phase in conformity with the dates fixed by the Member Associations and Zonal Unions and approved by the CAF. CAF reserves the right to amend the dates, kick-off times or the venues of the matches.
10) Each Zonal union is responsible for the process of selecting the host country for the ZonalPhase and shall submit its choice for CAF’s prior approval.
11) Matches are played in daylight or under floodlights.
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