The Confederation of African Football (CAF) officially announced the dates for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be held for the first time in its history with joint organization by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, in an edition considered exceptional in terms of organization and geographical expansion.

CAF revealed that the opening match of the tournament will take place on Saturday, June 19, 2027, with the final scheduled for Saturday, July 17, 2027. The host country for the opening and closing matches will be determined later among the three organizing countries.

The 2027 edition carries a historical significance as it will be the first to be organized across three countries in the East African region, which enhances the spread of football on the African continent, with expectations of reaching a fan base exceeding 400 million supporters in the area.

Details of the qualifiers and the draw

In a related context, the African Union clarified that the draw for the qualifiers will be held on May 19, 2026, with the participation of 48 teams, including the host countries, following the conclusion of the preliminary round.

The teams will be divided into 12 groups, each consisting of 4 teams, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the tournament finals.

The qualification matches are scheduled to take place during three international periods according to the FIFA calendar, as follows:

Rounds 1 and 2: From September 21 to October 6, 2026.

Rounds 3 and 4: From November 9 to 17, 2026

Rounds 5 and 6: From March 22 to 30, 2027