Beach soccer: Kenya withdraws, Libya advances without playing
The continental qualifying draw has been altered just two days before kickoff. Libya advances directly to the decisive round, with Morocco as its next opponent.
Kenya’s withdrawal propels Libya into the second round of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations beach soccer qualifiers. The CAF confirmed on Friday, September 18, that the Libyan team will face Morocco in October for a spot in the final phase.
Initially, Kenya and Libya were scheduled to compete in a two-legged first round, with matches set between September 18 and 20, followed by games from September 25 to 27. The Kenyan forfeit eliminates this double confrontation and sends Libya to the next round without having played a match.
According to Coast Football Kenya, the Kenyan Federation attempted to reverse its withdrawal as the deadline approached. However, the CAF did not accept this request for reinstatement, as Libya’s qualification had already been communicated to the relevant parties. The continental body then officially announced the new qualifying draw.
Libya will meet Morocco in a two-legged tie, with the first match scheduled between October 9 and 11, followed by the return leg from October 16 to 18. Six other matchups will make up this second round: the winner of Mauritius-Angola against Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire-Mauritania, Tanzania-Mozambique, Seychelles-Malawi, Burundi-Uganda, and Nigeria-Ghana.
Senegal, the host country for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations beach soccer, is already qualified for the final phase as the defending champion. The seven winners of the second round will join them for the eight-team tournament scheduled from November 7 to 15.
Mauritius and Angola will kick off the qualifiers on Sunday, September 20, at 11:00 am GMT at Blue Bay Beach Arena. The return leg is set for the weekend of September 25 to 27.
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