With 24 hours to go before the opening ceremony, CAF and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations Algeria 2023 held a press conference on Friday at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers.

The event was attended by CAF Vice President and Chairman of CAF Youth Football Organizing Committee, Suleiman Waberi, CAF Secretary General, Veron Mosengo-Omba and LOC Chairman, Djamel Merbout. The trio appreciated the efforts made by Algeria to make the competition a success, following a successful TotalEnergies African Nations Championship "CHAN" organized last January and February in the same facilities.

In his introductory remarks, CAF Vice President Waberi recalled the values around the sport, which has the power to unify people despite the differences. He expressed the wish that "this qualifying tournament for the FIFA World Cup will once again convey values dear to Africa: those of sharing, respect and fair play."

About the media coverage, the Secretary General of CAF said: "We have 700 accredited media from the continent and abroad for this Africa Cup of Nations. And because we invest a lot in the TV product, the competition will be broadcast in about forty countries and through partner broadcasters such as Canal+, SuperSport, beIN or Startimes."

The President of the Local Organizing Committee, Djamel Merbout, said: "We are proud of the trust that has been placed in us as a host country and we will work to make the event a real success for all participants and football fans in Africa and around the world. We welcome all the teams, and we are confident that this event will be significant for African football."

The TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations Algeria 2023 kicks off today (Saturday, April 29) with the match between hosts Algeria and Somalia. The match will take place from 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) at the Nelson Mandela Stadium. The four semi-finalists will earn a place in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, scheduled later this year.