27 June 2019 – The inaugural COSAFA Under-20 Women’s Championship gets under way in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality from 1-11 August, where the best young talent in the region will get the chance to showcase their quality.

Here is a round-up of the numbers for the historic championship:

0 – The number of COSAFA nations that have reached the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in the past. A number we hope to change soon!

1 – This will be the first ever COSAFA Under-20 Women’s Championship played, though COSAFA have in the past assisted the AUSC Region 5 Games with hosting their women’s Under-20 competitions.

1 – The only African player to win the coveted Golden Ball at the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup was Nigerian Asisat Oshoala, who managed the feat in 2014.

2 – The number of venues that will be used for the competition – the 10,000-seater Wolfson Stadium and the smaller Gelvandale Stadium.

2 – The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will be hosting COSAFA women’s football for the second year running after they also staged the senior championship in 2018.

2 – The COSAFA Under-20 Women’s Championship is one of two new female football events on the CODSAFA calendar this year, with an Under-17 Championship to be staged in Mauritius as well in September.

3 – Botswana, Namibia and South Africa were the only COSAFA nations that entered the qualifying for the African Under-20 Women’s Championships last time out.

3 – The draw for the COSAFA Under-20 Women’s Championships will be made on Wednesday, July 3 at COSAFA House in Johannesburg. The draw for this year’s senior championship will be held at the same time.

8 – There will be eight teams competing in this year’s event, split into two first round pools each containing four sides. Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe are the seven sides confirmed so far.

9 – There have been nine previous editions of the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, with Germany and United States claiming three each.

2020 – The next FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup will be played in 2020, and while a host has not been chosen yet, India are tipped to stage the event.