COSAFA Cup
International association football tournament in Southern Africa
title: "COSAFA Cup" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cosafa-cup", "men's-international-association-football-competitions-in-africa", "cosafa-competitions", "association-football-competitions-in-africa-for-men's-national-teams", "1983-establishments-in-africa", "recurring-sporting-events-established-in-1983"] description: "International association football tournament in Southern Africa" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COSAFA_Cup" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary International association football tournament in Southern Africa ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox football tournament"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| logo | [[File:COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup logo.jpg |
| organiser | COSAFA |
| founded | 1983 |
| region | Southern Africa |
| number of teams | 14 |
| current champions | |
| (5th title) | |
| most successful team | |
| (7 titles) | |
| website | |
| current | 2025 COSAFA Cup |
| :: |
| logo = [[File:COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup logo.jpg|200px]] | organiser = COSAFA | founded = 1983 | abolished = | region = Southern Africa | number of teams = 14 | current champions = (5th title) | most successful team = (7 titles) | website = | current = 2025 COSAFA Cup
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/COSAFA.svg" caption="COSAFA"] ::
The COSAFA Cup (known fully as COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup) is an annual tournament for teams from Southern Africa organized by Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA), inaugurated after the ban against the Republic of South Africa had been lifted and the African Cup of Nations had been staged there in 1996.
History
The following teams have participated in the tournament in the past: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Additionally, seven non-COSAFA members have competed: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal. Zambia has won the most titles with seven wins, followed by Zimbabwe with six wins. Zambia has been the most prolific side in the competition failing to reach the top 4 only four times since the tournament's inception. The first editions of the competition were a knockout tournament staged over several months. As the competition grew, it transformed into a series of mini-tournaments.
The 2010 COSAFA Senior Challenge was to be the 14th edition of the football tournament that involves teams from Southern Africa. In July 2010 it was confirmed that Angola would host the competition. The 2010 edition of the competition was cancelled in October, 2010. COSAFA stated that the Angolan authorities did not give enough guarantees to host the tournament.
Results
::data[format=table]
| # | Year | Host | Final | Third Place Match | Teams | Winner | Score | Runner-up | 3rd Place | Score | 4th Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997 | ||||||||||
| Details | Home/away | **** | 9 | ||||||||
| 2 | 1998 | ||||||||||
| Details | Home/away | **** | 10 | ||||||||
| 3 | 1999 | ||||||||||
| Details | Home/away | **** | 1–0 | ||||||||
| 1–1 | and | 10 | |||||||||
| 4 | 2000 | ||||||||||
| Details | Home/away | **** | 3–0 | ||||||||
| 3–0 | and | 11 | |||||||||
| 5 | 2001 | ||||||||||
| Details | Home/away | **** | 0–0 | ||||||||
| 1–0 | and | 11 | |||||||||
| 6 | 2002 | ||||||||||
| Details | Home/away | **** | 3–1 | ||||||||
| 1–0 | and | 12 | |||||||||
| 7 | 2003 | ||||||||||
| Details | Home/away | **** | 2–1 | ||||||||
| 2–0 | and | 12 | |||||||||
| 8 | 2004 | ||||||||||
| Details | Various hosts | **** | 0–0 | ||||||||
| (5–4 pen.) | and | 12 | |||||||||
| 9 | 2005 | ||||||||||
| Details | Mauritius | ||||||||||
| Namibia | |||||||||||
| South Africa | |||||||||||
| Zambia | **** | 1–0 | and | 13 | |||||||
| 10 | 2006 | ||||||||||
| Details | Various hosts | **** | 2–0 | and | 13 | ||||||
| 11 | 2007 | ||||||||||
| Details | Botswana | ||||||||||
| Mozambique | |||||||||||
| South Africa | |||||||||||
| Swaziland | **** | 0–0 | |||||||||
| (4–3 pen.) | and | 13 | |||||||||
| 12 | 2008 | ||||||||||
| Details | South Africa | **** | 2–1 | 2–0 | 14 | ||||||
| 13 | 2009 | ||||||||||
| Details | Zimbabwe | **** | 3–1 | 1–0 | 13 | ||||||
| - | 2010 | Angola | Cancelled | Cancelled | 14 | ||||||
| 14 | 2013 | ||||||||||
| Details | Zambia | **** | 2–0 | 2–1 | 13 | ||||||
| 15 | 2015 | ||||||||||
| Details | South Africa | **** | 2–0 | 2–1 | 14 | ||||||
| 16 | 2016 | ||||||||||
| Details | Namibia | **** | 3–2 | 1–0 | 14 | ||||||
| 17 | 2017 | ||||||||||
| Details | South Africa | **** | 3–1 | 0–0 | |||||||
| (4–2 pen.) | 14 | ||||||||||
| 18 | 2018 | ||||||||||
| Details | South Africa | **** | 4–2 | 1–0 | 14 | ||||||
| 19 | 2019 | ||||||||||
| Details | South Africa | **** | 1–0 | 2–2 | |||||||
| (5–4 pen.) | 13 | ||||||||||
| 20 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Details | South Africa | **** | 0–0 | ||||||||
| (5–4 pen.) | 1–1 | ||||||||||
| (4–2 pen.) | 10 | ||||||||||
| 21 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Details | South Africa | **** | 1–0 | 1–1 | |||||||
| (4–2 pen.) | 14 | ||||||||||
| 22 | 2023 | ||||||||||
| Details | South Africa | **** | 1–0 | 0–0 | |||||||
| (5–3 pen.) | 12 | ||||||||||
| 23 | 2024 | ||||||||||
| Details | South Africa | **** | 5–0 | 2–2 | |||||||
| (3–1 pen.) | 12 | ||||||||||
| 24 | 2025 | ||||||||||
| Details | South Africa | **** | 3–0 | 1–0 | 14 | ||||||
| :: |
** A round-robin tournament determined the final standings.
Teams reaching the top four
::data[format=table]
| Team | Winners | Runners-up | Third Place | Fourth Place | Semi-finalists | Top 4 Finishes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 (1997, 1998, 2006, 2013, 2019, 2022, 2023) | 6 (2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2017, 2018) | 1 (2008) | 1 (2001) | 4 (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003) | 19 | |
| 6 (2000, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2017, 2018) | 3 (1998, 2001, 2013) | 1 (2019) | 2 (2004, 2006) | 12 | ||
| 5 (2002, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2021) | 1 (2025) | 2 (2013, 2023) | 1 (2009) | 2 (2000, 2005) | 11 | |
| 5 (1999, 2001, 2004, 2024, 2025) | 1 (2006) | 1 (1998) | 2 (2000, 2005) | 9 | ||
| 1 (2015) | 4 (1997, 1999, 2022, 2024) | 1 (1998) | 6 | |||
| 2 (2008, 2015) | 3 (1997, 2009, 2024) | 2 (2021, 2022) | 2 (2004, 2007) | 9 | ||
| 2 (2002, 2003) | 1 (2001) | 1 (2023) | 4 | |||
| 2 (2016, 2019) | 1 (2015) | 2 (2006, 2007) | 5 | |||
| 2 (2000, 2023) | 1 (2018) | 3 (2013, 2017, 2019) | 6 | |||
| 1 (2021) | 1 (2022) | 2 | ||||
| 2 (2016, 2021) | 3 (1999, 2002, 2003) | 5 | ||||
| 1 (2015) | 3 (2008, 2018, 2025) | 4 | ||||
| 1 (2017) | 1 (1997) | 2 | ||||
| 1 (2025) | 1 (2024) | 2 | ||||
| 1 (2016) | 1 | |||||
| :: |
Medals (1997-2025)
| caption = | host = | flag_template = fb | event = | team = | gold_ZAM = 7 | silver_ZAM = 6 | bronze_ZAM = 5 | gold_ZIM = 6 | silver_ZIM = 3 | bronze_ZIM = 3 | gold_RSA = 5 | silver_RSA = 1 | bronze_RSA = 4 | gold_ANG = 5 | silver_ANG = 1 | bronze_ANG = 3 | gold_NAM = 1 | silver_NAM = 4 | bronze_NAM = 0 | gold_MOZ = 0 | silver_MOZ = 2 | bronze_MOZ = 5 | gold_BOT = 0 | silver_BOT = 2 | bronze_BOT = 2 | gold_MWI = 0 | silver_MWI = 2 | bronze_MWI = 1 | gold_LES = 0 | silver_LES = 2 | bronze_LES = 1 | gold_SEN = 0 | silver_SEN = 1 | bronze_SEN = 1 | gold_SWZ = 0 | silver_SWZ = 0 | bronze_SWZ = 5 | gold_MAD = 0 | silver_MAD = 0 | bronze_MAD = 1 | gold_TAN = 0 | silver_TAN = 0 | bronze_TAN = 1 | gold_COM = 0 | silver_COM = 0 | bronze_COM = 1
Participating nations
;Legend
- – Champions
- – Runners-up
- – Third place
- – Fourth place
- 5th – Fifth place
- – Semi-finals
- QF – Quarter-finals
- GS – Group stage
- 1R – First round
- 2R – Second round
- Q – Qualified
- — Hosts
- – – Did not enter
- –– – Withdrew before qualification / Banned ::data[format=table] | Team | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | *2010*2 | 2013 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total | 20 | 24 | 8 | 24 | 24 | 13 | 23 | 19 | 24 | 24 | 14 | 23 | 24 | 22 | Guest Nations | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | Total || 9 || 10 || 10 || 11 || 11 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 14 || 13 || 0 (14) || 13 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 13 || 10 || 14 || 12 || 12 || 14 || | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | | – | 3rd | 1st | SF | 1st | QF | 1R | 1st | SF | 2nd | 1R | QF | QF | x | QF | – | GS | GS | GS | **––**1 | – | GS | GS | 1st | 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | QF | QF | 1R | SF | SF | QF | QF | x | GS | 4th | 2nd | QF | QF | 2nd | GS | QF | GS | GS | GS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | GS | GS | x | – | – | – | – | GS | QF | **––**1 | GS | GS | 4th | 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1R | 1R | SF | QF | QF | SF | SF | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | GS | GS | x | GS | GS | 3rd | QF | QF | GS | 3rd | QF | GS | GS | GS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1R | 1R | QF | 2nd | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | GS | GS | x | 4th | GS | QF | 4th | 3rd | 4th | GS | GS | 2nd | GS | GS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | – | – | –– | – | QF | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 4th | **––**1 | x | – | 3rd | GS | GS | 4th | – | **––**1 | QF | – | – | 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 1R | 2R | QF | SF | 2nd | 2nd | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | GS | QF | x | QF | QF | GS | GS | GS | QF | GS | GS | 4th | – | GS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | – | – | 1R | QF | 1R | 1R | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | GS | GS | x | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | – | GS | GS | – | GS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3rd | 5th | QF | 1R | 1R | QF | QF | SF | 1R | 1R | SF | 2nd | 3rd | x | QF | 2nd | QF | GS | GS | GS | 4th | 4th | GS | 3rd | GS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | 4th | 2nd | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | QF | QF | x | QF | 1st | QF | QF | QF | GS | GS | 2nd | GS | 2nd | GS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | – | – | –– | – | – | – | – | 1R | 1R | 1R | GS | GS | x | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | – | GS | GS | GS | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | 1R | QF | SF | QF | 1st | QF | 1R | SF | 1R | 1st | 1st | 4th | x | 3rd | QF | 1st | QF | QF | QF | 1st | QF | 3rd | GS | 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1st | 1st | SF | QF | SF | SF | SF | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | x | 1st | QF | QF | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | GS | 1st | 1st | GS | GS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1R | 2nd | QF | 1st | 2nd | QF | 1st | SF | 1st | SF | 1R | QF | 1st | x | 2nd | GS | GS | 1st | 1st | 3rd | GS | – | – | GS | GS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | * | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4th | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | * | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | **––**1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | * | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | QF | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | * | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | GS | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | GS | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | * | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2nd | 3rd | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | * | 4th | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | **––**1 | GS | – | 3rd | – | – | – | – | – | – | GS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | * | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | QF | – | – | – | – | – | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::
*D.R. Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal are not COSAFA members, but have been invited to participate in the past.
1 Withdrew from tournament.
2 Tournament not played.
Summary (1997–2022)
COSAFA Cup invitees are included in the table with blue.
::data[format=table] | Rank||width=200|Team||Part||M||W||D||L||GF||GA||GD||Points | |---| | 1 | | 2 | | 3 | | 4 | | 5 | | 6 | | 7 | | 8 | | 9 | | 10 | | 11 | | 12 | | 13 | | 14 | | 15 | | 16 | | 17 | | 18 | | 19 | | 20 | | 21 | ::
Top scorers
Peter Ndlovu of Zimbabwe and Manuel 'Tico-Tico' Bucuane of Mozambique are all-time top goalscorers in the tournament with ten goals each. In 2021 Felix Badenhorst of Eswatini moved into second position with nine goals.
::data[format=table]
| Year | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | ZIM Tauya Mrewa ZIM Peter Ndlovu ZIM Shepherd Muradzikwa ZIM Benjamin Nkonjera | 2 |
| 1999 | ANG Betinho | 3 |
| 2000 | ZIM Luke Petros RSA Delron Buckley | 2 |
| 2001 | 18 players tied | 1 |
| 2002 | SWZ Mfanzile Dlamini ZAM Rotson Kilambe RSA Teboho Mokoena SWZ Siza Dlamini RSA Patrick Mayo | 2 |
| 2003 | ZIM Peter Ndlovu ZAM Noel Mwandila Malawi Russel Mwafulirwa | 2 |
| 2004 | ZIM Peter Ndlovu | 3 |
| 2005 | ZAM Collins Mbesuma | 4 |
| 2006 | ANG Fabrice Akwa | 3 |
| 2007 | MAD Paulin Voavy | 3 |
| 2008 | SEY Phillip Zialor | 4 |
| 2009 | ZIM Cuthbert Malajila | 4 |
| 2013 | BOT Jerome Ramatlhakwane | 4 |
| 2015 | MAD Sarivahy Vombola | 5 |
| 2016 | SWZ Felix Badenhorst | 5 |
| 2017 | ZIM Ovidy Karuru | 6 |
| 2018 | BOT Onkabetse Makgantai | 5 |
| 2019 | MWI Gabadinho Mhango MWI Gerald Phiri Jr. Mauritius Ashley Nazira | 3 |
| 2021 | RSA Sepana Letsoalo | 4 |
| 2022 | SWZ Sabelo Ndzinisa | 3 |
| 2023 | RSA Tshegofatso Mabasa | |
| ZAM Albert Kangwanda | 3 | |
| 2024 | ANG Depú | 5 |
| 2025 | ANG Depú | 8 |
| :: |
Notes
References
References
- (24 March 2008). "COSAFA Tournament to continue". The Lusaka Times.
- Redvers, Lousie. (29 July 2010). "Angola to Host Cosafa Cup in November". BBC News.
- Muchinjo, Enock. (18 October 2010). "COSAFA tourney cancelled, hosts blamed". Daily News.
- (18 October 2010). "COSAFA tourney cancelled, hosts blamed".
- "Badenhorst makes Cosafa Cup history". The Namibian.
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