The race for the next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is officially underway. The qualifiers for the 2027 edition, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, will begin on Thursday, September 24, with the first round of group-stage matches.
A total of 48 national teams, divided into twelve groups of four, are taking part in this qualifying campaign. They will attempt to secure their place in the final tournament, scheduled from June 19 to July 17, 2027, in East Africa.
For this first matchday, 24 matches are scheduled between September 24 and 26. Several fixtures are already expected to attract attention, including Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana in Bouaké, Morocco-Gabon in Rabat, Egypt-Angola in Cairo, Algeria-Zambia in Tizi Ouzou and Senegal-Mozambique in Dakar.
In Group J, Senegal will host Mozambique on Friday, September 25, before traveling to Ethiopia for the second matchday. Other contenders for the continental tournament will also be in action: Nigeria will face Madagascar, Mali will take on Cabo Verde, while Burkina Faso will face Benin.
This first matchday will also be marked by several changes on the sidelines. Patrick Vieira will make his debut with Senegal, Hervé Renard will lead Côte d’Ivoire for the first time in this campaign, while Mohamed Ouahbi will begin his tenure as Morocco head coach. Pitso Mosimane, meanwhile, will return to the South Africa bench for a third spell.
Already qualified as host countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will nevertheless take part in the qualifiers. Groups D, H and L have a particular format: in each of them, only the highest-ranked team behind the respective host country will qualify for the final tournament.
The campaign will take place over six matchdays. The first two will be held from September 24 to October 6, before resuming between November 9 and 17, 2026. The final two matchdays are scheduled from March 22 to 30, 2027.
Held under the theme "PAMOJA,” a Swahili word meaning "Together,” AFCON 2027 will be the first edition jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
This edition also marks the return of AFCON to East Africa, 51 years after the tournament held in Ethiopia in 1976. Before the final tournament kicks off, the 48 contenders will have to navigate six matchdays of a qualifying campaign that already promises plenty of major fixtures and high stakes.