Radebe Confident as South Africa Aim for COSAFA Glory and World Cup Spot

South Africa Under-17 captain and first-choice goalkeeper Lwandiso Radebe says his team’s mission at the COSAFA Under-17 Championship is clear: win the regional title and secure a path to the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The 12-nation tournament kicks off this afternoon in Harare, Zimbabwe, with three qualifying spots for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco at stake. The continental finals will in turn determine Africa’s representatives at the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, where 10 African nations will feature.

Drawn into a challenging Group B, South Africa will open their campaign against regional rivals Zambia on Friday at 15:00. Madagascar and Malawi complete the group. Hosts Zimbabwe headline Group A alongside Mozambique, Comoros, and eSwatini, while Group C features Angola, Botswana, Mauritius, and Lesotho.

Speaking to COSAFA media ahead of the Zambia clash, Radebe expressed optimism about his squad’s potential.

“Our group is very good, very talented. It’s not a very well-known group, but it will be once people see our style of play,” he said. “I have a lot of confidence in the way we’re going to play and the way we’ll go about this tournament—it’s very exciting. Everyone’s excited to play, and I think the results will show that.”

The young goalkeeper underlined South Africa’s ambitions beyond the group stage.

“Of course, we want to win the tournament. We want to qualify for AFCON and then go on to the World Cup,” Radebe said, adding that lifting the COSAFA trophy would inspire belief as the team targets its first Under-17 World Cup appearance since 2015.