Burundi beat the 2017 winners 3-0 to overturn a 1-0 away loss in Lusaka on July 14 and qualify 3-1 on aggregate.
It is the third successive time that a defending U20 AFCON holder has failed to qualify and defend its title.
Record seven-time champions Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2017 event that Zambia won as hosts.
Egypt,the second most successive team on four titles, also failed to qualify for the 2015 event after winning it in 2013.
Meawhile, Zambia’s Under-17 counterparts finally got their COSAFA U17 Cup defence back on track after winning their penultimate Group B match on Sunday at the on-going tournament in Mauritius.
Tennant Chilumba’s side beat Leostho 1-0 to go second on 4 points from two games on goal difference in Group B behind South Africa whom they face on July 24 in the deciding fixture.
Benson Simwanda scored in the 89th minute to see Zambia breath a sigh of relief after kicking off the tournament on July 19 with a 0-0 draw against Mozambiqiue.
South Africa , who also opened with a 0-0 draw against Lesotho on July 20, crushed Mozambique 4-1 to take command of Group B.
Only the group winner qualifies to the semifinals .
Winner of this years COSAFA U17 Cup will qualify to the 2019 U17 AFCON in Tanzania.
Who was the coach? So we can roast him. Burundi madalas intimidated his boys
Shame!