SEYCHELLES have pulled out of the men’s football tournament in the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games which will be staged in Bulawayo from December 4 to 14 due to budgetary limitations, the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) has said.
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Group B of the men’s football tournament will now have champions South Africa, Zambia, Lesotho and Namibia while Group A features hosts Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Angola and Malawi.
The matches will be played at Luveve and Barbourfields stadia starting from December 4.
A statement from Cosafa yesterday said: “There has been one change to the field for the junior men’s competition at the African Union Sports Commission (AUSC) Region 5 Youth Games to be staged in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, from December 4 to 14. 
Seychelles have withdrawn from the men’s tournament due to budgetary constraints.”
According to Cosafa, the tournament will be a good platform for South Africa and Zambia who have already qualified for the Caf African Youth Championships to be staged in Niger in February next year.
Cosafa will be running the football tournament at the Region 5 Youth Games and the regional organisation has said apart from the players taking part, the competition will also provide experience to up-and-coming male and female referees from around the Southern African Region.
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The two top teams in the men’s pools will play in the semi-final with the final being played on December 14 at Barbourfields Stadium.
The women’s category which has hosts Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia will feature in a round robin tournament with the top team winning the competition. Zimbabwe date South Africa in the first game at Barbourfields on December 4.
Meanwhile, Cosafa in collaboration with international football governing body Fifa, will facilitate a coaching course for young coaches in Bulawayo during the Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games.
“Cosafa, together with Fifa, is also extending the learning experience to young coaches with a youth coaching course for male and females from across Zimbabwe.
The course will take place in Bulawayo at the same time as the AUSC Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games and the instructors and participants will utilise some of the 30 football matches being played as their practical work during the course,” reads the statement from Cosafa.
