South Africa will not be represented at either the 2026 FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup or the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The South African U-17 men’s national team exited the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations at the group stage. Their failure to advance to the knockout rounds meant they did not secure one of Africa’s qualification spots for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Meanwhile, the South African U-17 women’s national team produced a commendable qualifying campaign, reaching the third round of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. However, a defeat to Kenya ended their hopes of securing a place at the global tournament.
As a result, South Africa will have no representation in either of the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cups