Sierra Stars Arrive in Dakar Ahead of WAFU-A U-17 AFCON Qualifiers
Sia Lucy Kannah Sierra Leone’s U-17 national football team, the Sierra Stars, arrived safely in Dakar, Senegal, ahead of their the upcoming WAFU-A U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers set to run from September 7 to September 20, 2026.
The 32-member delegation, comprising 20 players alongside 12 technical staff members and delegation officials, touched down in the Senegalese capital as preparations enter their crucial final phase.
As part of standard tournament protocol and age-verification procedures, the squad will undergo its second mandatory Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) bone density testing on Friday, September 4, before receiving final clearance for match play.
The Sierra Stars are set to kick off their tournament campaign on Monday, September 7, when they take on The Gambia in a high-stakes opener scheduled for 7:00 PM local time.
Sierra Leone exited the 2025 WAFU A tournament after drawing with Senegal 1-1 before losing to Mauritania 2-1.
The Sierra Stars won the maiden edition of the competition in 1997 in Benin.