Southern Africa: Lesotho Seek Return to Former Heights in Mauritius

What the report says

Lesotho’s Under-20 football team is aiming to revive its regional standing at the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifier Mauritius 2026, scheduled for September 18-27 in Mauritius, according to COSAFA via AllAfrica. The squad has a history of strong youth performances, including qualification for the African Youth Championship in 2011 and a run to the COSAFA Under-20 final in 2017.

The article says Lesotho enters the tournament hoping to improve on recent disappointing campaigns, after losing seven of nine matches across its last three appearances and conceding 27 goals. This time, it has been placed in a demanding Group B with South Africa, Angola and Eswatini, where progress will depend on finishing top of the group or ranking among the best runners-up.

COSAFA notes that only the group winners, plus the best second-place team, advance to the semi-finals, and the two finalists will qualify for next year’s CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations. Lesotho’s past record suggests the team can be competitive: it reached the COSAFA final three times overall and has also produced several respectable finishes over the years. The broader significance is that the qualifier offers a pathway to continental competition and a chance for Lesotho to re-establish itself among the region’s stronger youth sides.