The qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations start on Thursday, with 48 international locations competing to earn spots in Africa’s largest soccer match.
Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda will cohost AFCON 2027, because the competitors returns to East Africa for the primary time in 51 years.
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Divided into 12 teams, the groups can be concerned in a six-round qualifying course of that runs to March subsequent yr.
Right here’s every little thing to learn about AFCON 2027:
Which groups are within the AFCON 2027 qualifiers?
The draw for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers occurred in Cairo, Egypt, in Could.
The 48 groups competing within the qualifiers are as follows:
- Group A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
- Group B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
- Group C: Ivory Coast, Ghana, The Gambia, Somalia
- Group D: South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea
- Group E: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
- Group F: Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic
- Group G: Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo
- Group H: Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, Botswana
- Group I: Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi
- Group J: Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia
- Group Okay: Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia
- Group L: Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau
What are the highest AFCON 2027 qualifying matches?
From the primary two rounds:
- Ivory Coast vs Ghana – Thursday, September 24 at 19:00 GMT
- Nigeria vs Madagascar – Friday, September 25 at 16:00 GMT
- Morocco vs Gabon – Friday, September 25 at 19:00 GMT
- Egypt vs Angola – Friday, September 25 at 19:00 GMT
- Algeria vs Zambia – Friday, September 25 at 19:00 GMT
- Senegal vs Mozambique – Friday, September 25 at 19:00 GMT
- South Africa vs Guinea – Saturday, September 26 at 16:00 GMT
What’s the schedule for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers?
The six rounds of AFCON 2027 qualifying can be held throughout these FIFA worldwide home windows:
- Rounds 1 and a couple of: September 21-October 6, 2026
- Rounds 3 and 4: November 9-17, 2026
- Rounds 5 and 6: March 22-30, 2027
What number of groups can qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations?
In complete, 24 groups qualify for AFCON 2027.
The final rule is that the highest two groups in every group will advance to the finals.
Nevertheless, in teams containing Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania – who’ve robotically certified as cohosts – solely the highest-ranked crew exterior the respective host nation will undergo.
The qualifiers can be performed in a house and away format, with every crew taking part in six matches.
When and the place is AFCON 2027?
The thirty sixth version of AFCON can be held in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, bringing the match again to East Africa after 5 many years.
The match will run from June 19 to July 17, 2027, at 10 venues throughout the international locations.
The stadiums are within the Tanzanian cities of Dar-es-Salaam, Arusha, Zanzibar, the Kenyan capital Nairobi, and Hoima, Kampala and Lira in Uganda.
Who received the final AFCON?
Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 within the newest AFCON last on January 18, as Pape Gueye’s extra-time purpose in a chaotic contest guided them to their second continental title.
However in March, the Confederation of African Soccer (CAF) made the extraordinary transfer to strip Senegal of their crown and award it to Morocco.
The controversial decision got here after a assessment of an incident on the finish of regular time within the last, which noticed a lot of the Senegalese crew quickly depart the sector to protest an added-time penalty awarded to Morocco, which was missed after a prolonged delay.
Senegal have appealed towards CAF’s resolution, and the enchantment can be heard by the Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport on October 8.
Salah, Diaz and Lookman: The highest gamers in AFCON 2027 qualifiers
Two-time African Footballer of the Yr Mohamed Salah, who now performs membership soccer for Trabzonspor within the Turkish Tremendous Lig, stars in file seven-time African champions Egypt’s squad.
Followers must also be careful for Actual Madrid ahead Brahim Diaz and teen midfield sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi within the Morocco squad, led by new coach Mohamed Ouahbi, in addition to Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze within the Nigerian facet.
Elsewhere, Ghana are strengthened by the return of their attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus, who missed the FIFA World Cup 2026 throughout a seven-month harm absence, whereas Senegal’s midfield options a number of abilities akin to Ibrahim Mbaye and Iliman Ndiaye.
Will Mane and Hakimi play within the AFCON qualifiers?
Morocco can be with out their key participant and captain Achraf Hakimi for the opening two matches as he serves a two-match suspension, alongside Ismael Saibari, who’s banned for 3 video games, for unsporting behaviour through the shambolic AFCON last in January.
Senegal can be with out Sadio Mane, two-time African Footballer of the Yr, because the Al-Nassr participant sits out the match towards Mozambique with what newly-appointed coach Patrick Vieira described as a “bodily challenge”.
Which different key gamers will miss the AFCON qualifiers?
Nigeria’s star striker Victor Osimhen will miss the opening qualifiers towards Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau as he continues his restoration from a muscle drawback. One among Africa’s most interesting forwards, Osimhen picked up the harm whereas taking part in for his Turkish membership Galatasaray.
Naby Keita is among the many a number of established names excluded from the Guinea squad, whereas Tunisia’s Hannibal Mejbri and Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo are each out with accidents.
Gabon can be with out former captain and all-time prime scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who stop worldwide responsibility, saying he felt “humiliated” by his exclusion and subsequent reinstatement after the AFCON in Morocco in January.
Many different gamers additionally referred to as time on their worldwide careers this yr. This consists of Riyad Mahrez, who guided Algeria to the AFCON 2019 title; Edouard Mendy, Senegal’s first-choice goalkeeper throughout their AFCON 2021 triumph; and Ghana’s Spanish-born ahead Inaki Williams.
watch and comply with AFCON 2027 qualifying matches?
Followers can catch all of the motion from the AFCON 2027 qualifiers on the next broadcasters or streaming platforms:
- North Africa and Center East: beIN SPORTS
- Sub-Saharan Africa: SuperSport
- East Africa: Azam TV, TBC Tanzania, KBC Kenya
- South Africa: SABC Sport
- Francophone Africa: Canal+
The entire listing of world broadcasters is here.
Al Jazeera Sport can even carry you reside protection of choose matches.
