The qualifying race for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is under way, with 48 national teams competing for 24 places at the tournament to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from the 19th of June to the 17th of July, 2027.
The opening two matchdays run from the 24th of September to the 6th of October 2026 across 12 groups of four teams. The group winners and runners-up will qualify automatically, while Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have already secured places as co-hosts.
The opening round is headlined by Côte d’Ivoire against Ghana in Bouaké, renewing one of African football’s most compelling rivalries. Other major fixtures include Morocco versus Gabon, Egypt against Angola, Algeria versus Zambia, Senegal against Mozambique and Nigeria’s clash with Madagascar.
For the Super Eagles, the campaign begins against Madagascar on Friday, 25th of September, before matches against Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau in Group L. Nigeria will be seeking a strong start in a group that also includes Madagascar, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau.
The 48 teams have been placed in 12 groups, with each side playing home and away across six matchdays. The first four rounds are scheduled for September, October and November 2026, while the final two rounds will be played in March 2027.
Group A pairs Morocco with Gabon, Niger and Lesotho, while Egypt leads Group B alongside Angola, Malawi and South Sudan. Defending champions Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana meet in Group C, which also features The Gambia and Somalia. South Africa and Guinea headline Group D with hosts Kenya and Eritrea, and DR Congo face Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe in Group E.
Elsewhere, Burkina Faso and Benin top Group F; Cameroon and Comoros lead Group G; Tunisia and Uganda head Group H with Libya and Botswana; Algeria and Zambia feature in Group I; Senegal and Mozambique anchor Group J; Mali and Cape Verde lead Group K; and Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau make up Group L.
The hosts—Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda—are participating in the qualifiers despite their automatic qualification, meaning their group matches will still influence the path for other teams.
East Africa Prepares for a Landmark TournamentAFCON 2027 will be the first edition hosted by East Africa in 51 years and the first jointly staged by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. CAF has branded the competition “Pamoja,” the Swahili word for “together,” reflecting the three countries’ shared hosting arrangement.
The expanded 24-team finals will offer a major opportunity for the region to showcase upgraded stadiums, transport links and tourism assets. But for the 48 sides beginning qualification this week, the immediate task is straightforward: secure one of the 24 available spots in Africa’s biggest football tournament.
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