The Confederation of African Football is set to hold the qualifying draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday.
The ceremony will signal the beginning of the journey to the continent’s premier football championship, which will be jointly staged by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
CAF revealed this in a statement released on its website on Sunday.
“On Tuesday afternoon in Cairo, 48 nations will learn their route to the finals of a tournament already carrying enormous significance long before a ball is kicked.
“The draw, which takes place at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association, officially launches the next phase of the journey towards a tournament CAF hopes will unite an entire region under the spirit of “PAMOJA” — the Swahili word for “together,”” CAF said.
Branded “AFCON PAMOJA 2027”, the tournament will become the first edition in the competition’s history to be hosted by three nations.
CAF noted that the championship, fixed for June 19 to July 17, 2027, will return the Africa Cup of Nations to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted it in 1976.
The football body explained that the 48 competing countries would be drawn into 12 groups of four teams each, with the top two teams from every group earning automatic qualification for the finals.
However, since Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda have already qualified automatically as hosts, only one more team will advance from each of their groups.
CAF also announced that the qualifiers will be played during three FIFA international windows from September 2026 to March 2027.
“Matchdays one and two are scheduled for 21 September to 6 October 2026, while the third and fourth rounds of fixtures will take place from 9 to 17 November 2026. The final qualification matches are set for 22 to 30 March 2027.
“African giants such as Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa will all be among the favourites to reach the finals, but recent AFCON qualification campaigns have shown there are few easy routes left on the continent.
“Smaller football nations continue to narrow the gap, with countries such as Comoros and Gambia proving in recent years that African football’s balance of power is evolving rapidly,” it said.
CAF further stated that AFCON PAMOJA 2027 is expected to strengthen the commercial growth and international appeal achieved by recent tournaments in Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco, while also encouraging infrastructure expansion, tourism, and regional collaboration across East Africa.
“For the co-hosts, the tournament represents more than just football,” CAF stated.
“Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda view AFCON 2027 as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate infrastructure development, tourism and international investment while showcasing East Africa’s culture and passion for the game on the continental stage.”
