The road to the AFCON 2027 finals will begin in September, as 48 African nations prepare to battle for places at next year’s tournament.
Match Days 1 and 2 will launch the qualifying campaign, with the opening group fixtures scheduled from 24 September to 6 October 2026.
The first round features 12 groups of four teams, setting up several major clashes across the continent. Among the biggest games, former African champions Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana will meet in a heavyweight West African contest.
Meanwhile, Morocco will begin their campaign at home against Gabon at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdallah.
Record seven time African champions Egypt will also start their qualifying journey at home when they welcome Angola to Cairo International Stadium. Algeria, another former continental powerhouse, will face Zambia at the Stade Hocine Aït Ahmed in Tizi-Ouzou.
The second round of fixtures will begin on Monday, 28 September. Central African Republic will host Burkina Faso, while Equatorial Guinea take on Sierra Leone.
Zimbabwe will also welcome DR Congo, while Botswana face Tunisia as the qualifying race gathers pace.
A busy programme will continue on Tuesday, 29 September. Lesotho will host Morocco, while Burundi take on Algeria at Stade Intwari.
Mozambique will welcome Sudan to the Estádio Nacional do Zimpeto. At the same time, Ethiopia will face Senegal at Bahir Dar National Stadium.
AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Follow Six Matchdays
The qualifying competition will take place across six matchdays, with every group contest played on a home and away basis.
The 48 participating nations will split into 12 groups of four teams. After Match Days 1 and 2, the qualifiers will return during the FIFA international window from 9 to 17 November 2026.
The final two rounds will then take place between 22 and 30 March 2027.
Teams that finish first and second in groups without a co host will secure qualification for the AFCON 2027 finals.
However, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania already have their places confirmed because they will jointly host the tournament. Kenya is in Group D, Uganda is in Group H and Tanzania is in Group L.
The highest placed team in each group containing a host nation will also qualify for the finals.
The AFCON 2027 tournament will take place across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027. The competition will return to East Africa for the first time in more than five decades.
Matchday 1 Fixtures, All Times GMT
Group A: Morocco v Gabon, 25 September, 19h00. Niger v Lesotho, 25 September, 15h00.
Group B: Egypt v Angola, 25 September, 19h00. Malawi v South Sudan, 25 September, 16h00.
Group C: Côte d’Ivoire v Ghana, 24 September, 19h00. Gambia v Somalia, 25 September, 16h00.
Group D: South Africa v Guinea, 26 September, 16h00. Kenya v Eritrea, 26 September, 13h00.
Group E: DR Congo v E Guinea, 24 September, 16h00. Sierra Leone v Zimbabwe, 24 September, 19h00.
Group F: Burkina Faso v Benin, 25 September, 19h00. Mauritania v CAR, 24 September, 16h00.
Group G: Cameroon v Comoros, 24 September, 19h00. Namibia v Congo, 24 September, 13h00.
Group H: Tunisia v Uganda, 24 September, 19h00. Libya v Botswana, 24 September, 16h00.
Group I: Algeria v Zambia, 25 September, 19h00. Togo v Burundi, 25 September, 16h00.
Group J: Senegal v Mozambique, 25 September, 19h00. Sudan v Ethiopia, 25 September, 16h00.
Group K: Mali v Cape Verde, 25 September, 19h00. Rwanda v Liberia, 25 September, 16h00.
Group L: Nigeria v Madagascar, 25 September, 16h00. Tanzania v Guinea Bissau, 25 September, 13h00.
Matchday 2 Fixtures, All Times GMT
Group A: Gabon v Niger, 29 September, 19h00. Lesotho v Morocco, 29 September, 13h00.
Group B: Angola v Malawi, 6 October, 19h00. South Sudan v Egypt, 29 September, 13h00.
Group C: Ghana v Gambia, 29 September, 16h00. Somalia v Côte d’Ivoire, 29 September, 19h00.
Group D: Guinea v Kenya, 1 October, 16h00. Eritrea v South Africa, 30 September, 16h00.
Group E: E Guinea v Sierra Leone, 28 September, 16h00. Zimbabwe v DR Congo, 28 September, 16h00.
Group F: Benin v Mauritania, 29 September, 19h00. CAR v Burkina Faso, 28 September, 16h00.
Group G: Comoros v Namibia, 29 September, 11h00. Congo v Cameroon, 29 September, 19h00.
Group H: Uganda v Libya, 29 September, 16h00. Botswana v Tunisia, 28 September, 19h00.
Group I: Zambia v Togo, 29 September, 16h00. Burundi v Algeria, 29 September, 13h00.
Group J: Mozambique v Sudan, 29 September, 13h00. Ethiopia v Senegal, 29 September, 13h00.
Group K: Cape Verde v Rwanda, 29 September, 16h00. Liberia v Mali, 29 September, 19h00.
Group L: Madagascar v Tanzania, 29 September, 13h00. Guinea Bissau v Nigeria, 29 September, 16h00.
