Kenya to host inaugural Hockey5s Youth Africa Cup
Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 11.07.26. | 09:10
The men's and women's competition will be the first continental Youth Africa Cup to be played under the fast-paced Hockey5s format
Kenya is set to make history after being confirmed as the host of the inaugural U18 Hockey5s Youth Africa Cup 2026, a landmark continental championship that will also serve as the African qualification tournament for the first-ever FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup.
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The tournament will take place from Thursday, 6 to Saturday, 8 August 2026 in Nairobi, with the men's and women's competitions expected to bring together Africa's most promising under-18 hockey talents in a bid to secure places at the global showpiece scheduled for December 2026.
Organized by the African Hockey Federation (AfHF) in partnership with the International Hockey Federation (FIH), the championship marks the first continental Youth Africa Cup to be played under the fast-paced Hockey5s format.
The competition represents a major milestone for both African hockey and Kenya, with the country becoming one of the first nations on the continent to stage a Youth Hockey 5s continental championship.
The top two teams in both the men's and women's tournaments will qualify for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey 5s World Cup 2026, where they will represent Africa against the world's best hockey nations.
The World Cup will feature 12 teams in each gender, with each continental federation allocated two qualification slots. Players eligible to compete must have been born between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2011, in line with the qualification criteria set by the FIH.
The competition will be played at the newly refurbished Dashmesh Hockey Stadium, Nairobi Sikh Union Club with final logistical details to be confirmed by the organizers ahead of the championship.
The introduction of the Youth Africa Cup comes as the FIH continues to expand the Hockey5s format globally. Designed as a faster, more dynamic version of traditional 11-a-side hockey, Hockey5s is played with five players per side, including a goalkeeper, on a smaller pitch. The format features shorter matches, quick restarts, high-scoring contests and end-to-end action, making it an attractive platform for youth development and fan engagement.
Kenya has already established itself as one of Africa's pioneers in the format. In January 2024, the men's national team represented the country at the inaugural FIH Hockey 5s World Cup in Muscat, Oman, after qualifying through the African Hockey5s World Cup Qualifier.
Drawn in Pool C alongside Australia, New Zealand and Trinidad and Tobago, Kenya progressed to the quarter-finals before eventually finishing seventh in the 16-team tournament after defeating Trinidad and Tobago 7-5 in the classification match. The Netherlands were crowned the first-ever men's Hockey 5s world champions, while Kenya's campaign demonstrated the country's ability to compete on the global stage in the sport's newest format.
With Kenya now preparing to host the inaugural Youth Africa Cup, the tournament presents another opportunity for the country to strengthen its reputation as a leading force in African Hockey 5s while giving its under-18 men's and women's teams the chance to qualify for the first-ever FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup and inspire the next generation of Kenyan hockey stars.