By Angu Lesley
Cameroon has been drawn in Group K of the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup alongside Mexico, Romania and Venezuela following Thursday’s official draw for the tournament in Qatar.
The Lions will be making their third appearance at the global youth tournament, having previously featured in 2003 and 2019.
Cameroon’s first participation came at the 2003 edition in Finland with a generation led by former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Alexandre Song, former Indomitable Lions captain Stéphane Mbia and late Cameroonian midfielder Landry Nguemo. The country returned in 2019 in Brazil with players such as Steve Mvoue, Ekoi Manfred and Fabrice Ndzie, but failed to make a major impact on both occasions.
The 2026 edition now offers a fresh opportunity for a new generation of Cameroonian talent under coach Alioum Saidou to make history on the world stage.
The competition will run from November 19 to December 13, 2026 in Qatar, with the Middle Eastern nation continuing as host under FIFA’s new annual U-17 World Cup format introduced after last year’s edition.
Cameroon secured qualification through the ongoing U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and is among the 10 African nations expected at the tournament. Eight countries qualify automatically by reaching the quarter-finals of the AFCON, while the remaining two places will be decided through playoffs.
Drawn against traditional youth football powerhouse Mexico, European side Romania and South American representatives Venezuela, Cameroon faces a challenging but balanced group in its quest to reach the knockout stages for the first time.
With hopes high around the current squad, the Young Lions will aim to deliver Cameroon’s best-ever performance at the FIFA U-17 World Cup and finally establish themselves among the elite nations in youth football.
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