By Teddy Nwanunobi
All is set for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will, on Tuesday, conduct the qualifying draw for the continental football tournament.
This was disclosed by the continent’s governing body, CAF, in a statement published on its website on Sunday.
The event will mark the start of the road to the continent’s flagship football tournament to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
“On Tuesday afternoon in Cairo, 48 nations will learn their route to the finals of a tournament already carrying enormous significance long before a ball is kicked.
“The draw, which takes place at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association, officially launches the next phase of the journey towards a tournament CAF hopes will unite an entire region under the spirit of ‘PAMOJA’ — the Swahili word for ‘together’,” CAF said.
The 2027 edition, tagged ‘AFCON PAMOJA 2027’, will be the first in the competition’s history to be co-hosted by three countries.
CAF said the tournament, scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027, will also mark the return of the Africa Cup of Nations to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted the competition in 1976.
According to the governing body, the 48 participating countries will be divided into 12 groups of four teams, with the top two sides in each group qualifying automatically for the finals.
However, because Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have already secured qualification as hosts, only one additional team will qualify from each of their groups.
CAF said the qualification campaign would be played across three FIFA international windows between September 2026 and March 2027.
“Matchdays one and two are scheduled for 21 September to 6 October 2026, while the third and fourth rounds of fixtures will take place from 9 to 17 November 2026. The final qualification matches are set for 22 to 30 March 2027.
“African giants such as Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa will all be among the favourites to reach the finals, but recent AFCON qualification campaigns have shown there are few easy routes left on the continent.
“Smaller football nations continue to narrow the gap, with countries such as Comoros and Gambia proving in recent years that African football’s balance of power is evolving rapidly,” it said.
CAF added that AFCON PAMOJA 2027 is expected to build on the commercial success and global reach of recent tournaments in Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco, while also boosting infrastructure development, tourism and regional cooperation in East Africa.
“For the co-hosts, the tournament represents more than just football. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda view AFCON 2027 as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate infrastructure development, tourism and international investment while showcasing East Africa’s culture and passion for the game on the continental stage,” CAF stated.