AFCON 2027: Countdown begins after CAF announces date for qualifying draw

The journey toward a historic continental spectacle officially gathered momentum after the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) confirmed key dates for the much anticipated TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 (AFCON 2027), a tournament set to make history as it heads to East Africa.

In a statement released this week, CAF announced that the opening match of the competition will take place on June 19, 2027, while the final is scheduled for July 17, 2027. The governing body is yet to reveal which of the three host nations Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda will stage the opening fixture and the final, with that decision expected in due course.

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The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) announced the Kick-off and Final Dates for the historic TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (“AFCON”) PAMOJA 2027, that will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

— CAF Media (@CAF_Media) May 2, 2026

The 2027 edition, branded “PAMOJA” to symbolize unity, will be the first time in the tournament’s history that three countries co-host the finals.

This landmark arrangement is widely viewed as a major step in expanding football infrastructure and strengthening regional collaboration across East Africa. CAF believes the competition will captivate an audience of more than 400 million people across the region, underlining its ambition to deepen the game’s footprint and commercial reach.

Beyond the excitement of hosting duties, attention is now turning to the qualification campaign, which will determine the 24 teams set to compete in the finals. Following the conclusion of the preliminary round, the next key milestone will be the official draw for the qualifiers, scheduled for May 19, 2026. This draw will outline the route each nation must navigate on the road to East Africa.

Qualification and the Road to AFCON 2027

A total of 48 national teams including the three co-hosts will take part in the qualification phase. These teams will be divided into 12 groups, each consisting of four sides. At the end of the group stage, only the top two teams from each group will secure their place in the final tournament, ensuring a highly competitive and demanding qualification process.

The qualifiers themselves will be spread across three FIFA international windows. The opening two matchdays are set for the period between September 21 and October 6, 2026. The campaign will then resume for matchdays three and four from November 9 to November 17, 2026. The decisive phase will take place between March 22 and March 30, 2027, when the final group standings will be confirmed.

The return of Africa’s premier football competition to East Africa marks a significant moment for the region. The last time the tournament was staged in this part of the continent was in 1976, when Ethiopia hosted the finals. More than five decades later, the 2027 edition is expected to showcase not only football excellence but also the cultural diversity and growing infrastructure of the host nations.

CAF has also highlighted that the 2027 tournament will build on the success of recent editions, including the 2025 edition in Morocco and 2023 in Ivory Coast. These tournaments set new benchmarks in terms of commercial performance, sponsorship deals, and global television audiences, further elevating the profile of African football worldwide.

With timelines now confirmed and preparations already underway, anticipation continues to grow across the continent. For East Africa, AFCON PAMOJA 2027 represents more than just a football tournament it is a celebration of unity, progress, and the enduring power of the beautiful game.