The qualifying phase for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) officially begins this Thursday. Forty-eight nations are set to compete over the next several months to secure their places in Africa’s premier football competition. This edition of the tournament marks a significant return to East Africa for the first time in 51 years, with Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda confirmed as joint hosts.
Qualifying Groups
The 48 participating teams were divided into 12 groups during the official draw held in Cairo last May. The qualification process follows a six-round schedule, with the top two teams from most groups advancing to the final tournament.
- 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
Competition Schedule
Qualifying matches are scheduled across three specific international windows defined by FIFA
- Rounds 1 and 2: September 21–October 6, 2026
- Rounds 3 and 4: November 9–17, 2026
- Rounds 5 and 6: March 22–30, 2027
Matches will be played in a home-and-away format, totaling six games for each side. The final tournament is slated to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027, across 10 venues in the host nations, including facilities in Dar-es-Salaam, Arusha, Zanzibar, and Nairobi.
Key Matchups
The opening rounds feature several high-profile fixtures
- 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
Player Updates and Absences
Star power remains a central theme, though several high-profile names will be sidelined. Sadio Mane will miss Senegal’s opener against Mozambique due to a “physical issue,” according to coach Patrick Vieira. Morocco’s captain Achraf Hakimi is also unavailable for his team’s first two matches due to suspension. Furthermore, Gabon will proceed without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who retired from international football after describing his previous exclusion and subsequent reinstatement as “humiliating.” Conversely, Ghana welcomes back midfielder Mohammed Kudus following a seven-month injury layoff.
Broadcasting Rights
Global coverage is distributed across multiple networks, including beIN SPORTS for the Middle East and North Africa, SuperSport for Sub-Saharan Africa, and local channels such as Azam TV, TBC Tanzania, and KBC Kenya for East Africa. Canal+ will cover Francophone Africa, and SABC Sport will manage broadcasting in South Africa. The report also notes that with 48 countries competing to earn spots in Africa’s biggest football tournament, the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations begin on Thursday. The report also notes that here’s everything to know about AFCON 2027. 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 the stadiums are in the Tanzanian cities of Dar-es-Salaam, Arusha, Zanzibar, the Kenyan capital Nairobi, and Hoima, Kampala and Lira in Uganda. 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 but in March, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) made the extraordinary move to strip Senegal of their crown and award it to Morocco.
