The COSAFA Cup (known fully as COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup) is an annual tournament for teams from Southern Africa organised by Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA), inaugurated after the ban against the Republic of South Africa had been lifted and the Africa 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 #YearHostFinalThird Place MatchTeamsWinnerScoreRunner-up3rd PlaceScore4th Place11997DetailsHome/away921998DetailsHome/away1031999DetailsHome/away1–0 1–1 and 1042000DetailsHome/away3–0 3–0 and 1152001DetailsHome/away0–0 1–0 and 1162002DetailsHome/away3–1 1–0 and 1272003DetailsHome/away2–1 2–0 and 1282004DetailsVarious hosts0–0(5–4 pen.) and 1292005Details1–0 and 13102006DetailsVarious hosts2–0 and 13112007Details0–0 (4–3 pen.) and 13122008Details2–12–014132009Details3–11–013 -2010 Cancelled Cancelled 14142013Details2–02–113152015Details2–02–114162016Details3–21–014172017Details3–10–0(4–2 pen.)14182018Details4–2 1–014192019Details1–0 2–2 (5–4 pen.)13202021Details0–0 (5–4 pen.)1–1 (4–2 pen.)10212022Details1–0 1–1 (4–2 pen.)14222023Details1–00–0(5–3 pen.)12232024Details5–02–2(3–1 pen.)12242025Details3–01–014 A round-robin tournament determined the final standings.

Teams reaching the top four

Team WinnersRunners-upThird PlaceFourth PlaceSemi-finalistsTop 4 Finishes7 (1997, 1998, 2006, 2013, 2019, 2022, 2023)6 (2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2017, 2018)1 (2008)1 (2001)4 (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003)196 (2000, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2017, 2018)3 (1998, 2001, 2013)1 (2019)2 (2004, 2006)125 (2002, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2021)1 (2025)2 (2013, 2023)1 (2009)2 (2000, 2005)115 (1999, 2001, 2004, 2024, 2025)1 (2006)1 (1998)2 (2000, 2005)91 (2015)4 (1997, 1999, 2022, 2024)1 (1998)62 (2008, 2015)3 (1997, 2009, 2024)2 (2021, 2022)2 (2004, 2007)92 (2002, 2003)1 (2001)1 (2023)42 (2016, 2019)1 (2015)2 (2006, 2007)52 (2000, 2023)1 (2018)3 (2013, 2017, 2019)61 (2021)1 (2022)22 (2016, 2021)3 (1999, 2002, 2003)51 (2015)3 (2008, 2018, 2025)41 (2017)1 (1997)21 (2025)1 (2024)21 (2016)1

Medals (1997-2025)

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

Team 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 200920102 2013 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Total – 3rd 1st SF 1st QF 1R 1st SF 2nd 1R QF QF x QF – GS GS GS ––1 – GS GS 1st 1st 20 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 24 – – – – – – – – – – – GS GS x – – – – GS QF ––1 GS GS 4th 3rd 8 1R 1R SF QF QF SF SF QF 1R 1R 1R GS GS x GS GS 3rd QF QF GS 3rd GS GS GS 24 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 24 – – – –– – QF QF 1R 1R 1R 1R 4th ––1 x – 3rd GS GS 4th – ––1 – – 4th 13 5th 1R 2R QF SF 2nd 2nd QF 1R 1R 1R GS QF x QF QF GS GS GS QF GS GS 4th – GS 23 – – – 1R QF 1R 1R QF 1R 1R 1R GS GS x GS GS GS GS GS GS – GS GS – GS 19 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 24 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 24 – – – –– – – – – 1R 1R 1R GS GS x GS GS GS GS GS GS – GS GS GS – 14 – 1R QF SF QF 1st QF 1R SF 1R 1st 1st 4th x 3rd QF 1st QF QF QF 1st QF 3rd GS 2nd 23 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 24 1R 2nd QF 1st 2nd QF 1st SF 1st SF 1R QF 1st x 2nd GS GS 1st 1st 3rd GS – – GS GS 22Guest Nations * – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 4th – – – – – – – – 1 * – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ––1 – – – – – – – – – – 0 * – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – QF – – – – – – – – – 1 * – – – – – – – – – – – – – – GS – – – – – – – – GS – 2 * – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 2nd 3rd – – – 2 *4th – – – – – – – – – – – – – ––1 GS – 3rd – – – – – – GS 4 * – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – QF – – – – – 1Total 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 *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.

RankTeamPartMWDLGFGAGDPoints121633222109348+45117220593417810049+5111332055301967729+48109421592317197662+1486521611915245970-1175621532016176557+873717431815124737+1068821591620236171-1068921511517195250+2621021531415245074-2457111236148143938+15012184088242557-32321361843111428-141514131916271964-45915293421312+113163132651015-51217131111104181200215-40191311154+142012020110221000000000

Top scorers Laurindo 'Depú' Aurélio of Angola all-time top goalscorer in the tournament with 13 goals each.The secund goalscorer is Peter Ndlovu of Zimbabwe and Manuel 'Tico-Tico' Bucuane of Mozambique position with 10 goals.

YearPlayerGoals1998 Tauya Mrewa Peter Ndlovu Shepherd Muradzikwa Benjamin Nkonjera21999 Betinho32000 Luke Petros Delron Buckley2200118 players tied12002 Mfanzile Dlamini Rotson Kilambe Teboho Mokoena Siza Dlamini Patrick Mayo22003 Peter Ndlovu Noel Mwandila Russel Mwafulirwa22004 Peter Ndlovu32005 Collins Mbesuma42006 Fabrice Akwa32007 Paulin Voavy32008 Phillip Zialor42009 Cuthbert Malajila42013 Jerome Ramatlhakwane42015 Sarivahy Vombola52016 Felix Badenhorst52017 Ovidy Karuru62018 Onkabetse Makgantai52019 Gabadinho Mhango Gerald Phiri Jr. Ashley Nazira32021 Sepana Letsoalo42022 Sabelo Ndzinisa32023 Tshegofatso Mabasa Albert Kangwanda32024 Depú52025 Depú8

See also COSAFA Women's Championship COSAFA U-20 Challenge Cup COSAFA U-17 Challenge Cup

Notes

References Kabelo

External links Official site COSAFA Cup at RSSSF