The road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) officially kicks off this Thursday. A total of 48 national teams are set to compete in an intense qualifying process to secure one of the 24 available spots for the continent’s most prestigious football tournament. This edition marks a historic return to East Africa, with Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania co-hosting the event, the first time the region has held the finals in 51 years.
Tournament Structure and Qualifying Groups
The qualification process, which consists of six rounds, concludes in March 2027. Teams are divided into 12 groups, with the top two finishers from each group generally advancing to the finals. However, the groups involving the co-hosts—Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania—operate under specific conditions due to their automatic qualification status. The 48 competing nations are drawn as follows
- Group A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
- Group B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
- Group C: Ivory Coast, Ghana, The Gambia, Somalia
- Group D: South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea
- Group E: DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
- Group F: Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic
- Group G: Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo
- Group H: Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, Botswana
- Group I: Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi
- Group J: Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia
- Group K: Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia
- Group L: Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau
Key Qualifying Fixtures
The competition begins with high-stakes encounters across the continent
- Ivory Coast vs Ghana: September 24, 19:00 GMT
- Nigeria vs Madagascar: September 25, 16:00 GMT
- Morocco vs Gabon: September 25, 19:00 GMT
- Egypt vs Angola: September 25, 19:00 GMT
- Algeria vs Zambia: September 25, 19:00 GMT
- Senegal vs Mozambique: September 25, 19:00 GMT
- South Africa vs Guinea: September 26, 16:00 GMT
Match Calendar
The six rounds of qualification are split across three FIFA international windows
- Rounds 1 & 2: September 21 to October 6, 2026
- Rounds 3 & 4: November 9 to 17, 2026
- Rounds 5 & 6: March 22 to 30, 2027
Player Updates and Notable Absences
Several major stars will be sidelined during the opening matches. Sadio Mane is unavailable for Senegal due to what coach Patrick Vieira described as a “physical issue.” Meanwhile, Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi is serving a suspension, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will not appear for Gabon after retiring from international duty, citing that he felt “humiliated” by his past exclusion and reinstatement. Conversely, Ghana welcomes back midfielder Mohammed Kudus following a seven-month injury recovery. Other key players to follow include Mohamed Salah, Brahim Diaz, Iliman Ndiaye, Ibrahim Mbaye, and Inaki Williams.
Tournament Details
The finals are scheduled for June 19 to July 17, 2027, spanning 10 venues in cities including Dar-es-Salaam, Arusha, Zanzibar, and Nairobi. This competition follows the recent 2026 final where Senegal beat Morocco 1-0, though the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is currently navigating an appeal from Senegal regarding a controversial post-match ruling.
Broadcasting Rights
Fans can access matches through regional broadcasters, including beIN SPORTS (North Africa/Middle East), SuperSport (Sub-Saharan Africa), Azam TV, TBC Tanzania, KBC Kenya (East Africa), SABC Sport (South Africa), and Canal+ (Francophone Africa). The report also notes that here’s everything to know about AFCON 2027. The report also notes that the draw for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers took place in Cairo, Egypt, in May. The report also notes that however, in groups containing Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania – who have automatically qualified as cohosts – only the highest-ranked team outside the respective host country will go through. The report also notes that as Pape Gueye’s extra-time goal in a chaotic contest guided them to their second continental title, senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 in the latest AFCON final on January 18. The report also notes that which saw most of the Senegalese team temporarily leave the field to protest an added-time penalty awarded to Morocco, which was missed after a lengthy delay, the controversial decision came after a review of an incident at the end of normal time in the final. The report also notes that and the appeal will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 8, senegal have appealed against CAF’s decision. The report also notes that who now plays club football for Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig, stars in record seven-time African champions Egypt’s squad, two-time African Footballer of the Year Mohamed Salah.
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