The Confederation of African Football will hold the draw on Tuesday for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Nigeria, the three-time champions, will find out who will play them, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
The Egyptian Football Association’s headquarters in Cairo will host the qualifying draw prior to the finals, which are set for June 19–July 17, 2027.
The competition, known as AFCON PAMOJA 2027, will be co-hosted by three nations for the first time in its history.
The competition was won by Nigeria in 1980, 1994, and 2013. Additionally, the Super Eagles placed third in 2025 and second in 2023.
The qualifiers will feature 48 teams in total, including the three co-hosts.
The 48 competing nations will be split up into 12 groups of four teams, with the top two teams in each group automatically advancing to the finals, according to CAF.
However, only one more team from each of their groups will advance because Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda have already qualified as hosts.Between September 2026 and March 2027, the qualifiers will take place over three FIFA international windows.
“Matchdays 1 and 2 will take place from September 21 to October 6, 2026, while the third and fourth rounds of fixtures will take place from November 9 to 17, 2026,” the CAF stated. The final qualifying matches are scheduled for March 22–30, 2027.
The competition means more to the co-hosts than just football.
“Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda see AFCON 2027 as a once-in-a-generation chance to showcase East Africa’s culture and passion for the game on the continental stage while accelerating infrastructure development, tourism, and international investment.”
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