[6] The top four teams of the tournament would have normally qualified for the 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia as the CAF representatives.

However, FIFA decided to cancel the tournament on 24 December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ghana won their fourth title by defeating debutant Uganda in the final.

At the end of the qualification phase, eleven teams will join the hosts Mauritania.

The group stage draw was held on 25 January 2021, 11:00 AM WAT (UTC+1), at the Hilton Hotel in Cameroon.