The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that the official draw for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda 2027 qualifiers will take place on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 15:00 local time (12:00 GMT) at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in Cairo.
The draw will determine the qualification pathway for 48 national teams, including the three co-host nations, as they begin their journey toward Africa’s premier football tournament.
For the qualifiers, the 48 participating teams will be placed into 12 groups of four teams each. At the end of the group stage, the top two teams from each group will automatically qualify for the final tournament. In groups that include one of the host nations, an additional team will also progress.
CAF has outlined that the qualification series will be staged across three FIFA international windows:
- Matchdays 1 & 2: September 21 – October 6, 2026
- Matchdays 3 & 4: November 9 – 17, 2026
- Matchdays 5 & 6: March 22 – 30, 2027
The AFCON 2027 finals are scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027, with the opening match set for June 19 and the final to be played on July 17.
CAF emphasized the importance of the qualification format, stating that the draw will set the stage for a highly competitive campaign featuring 48 teams battling for 24 places at the finals.
With anticipation building across the continent, attention now turns to Cairo, where the road to AFCON 2027 will officially begin.
