UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and CAF President Patrice Motsepe during the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada on 28 April 2026 ©Rakibul Hasan Rabby/BackpagePix
Sunday May 03, 2026. 13:56
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has set the dates for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The opening match is on 19 June 2027 and the final on 17 July 2027.The qualifiers draw takes place on 19 May 2026, with 48 teams split into 12 groups of four (top two advance).
Matches will be played in three FIFA windows: September-October 2026, November 2026, and March 2027.
The dates were approved by the FIFA Council recently held in Vancouver, Canada. CAF will announce the Country that will host the Opening Match and the Final in due course.The TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 is the first AFCON to be hosted by three countries, presenting a unique opportunity for CAF and African football to reach over 400 million people in East Africa region.
Qualification and the Road to the Final Tournament:
With the Preliminary round completed, the journey to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will continue with the Draw for the Qualifiers of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027, that will take place on 19 May 2026.
A total of 48 Teams, including the three Co-Hosts, will participate in the Qualifiers. The Draw will determine the pathway to the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027.
The Qualifiers will be played across the three FIFA International Windows as follows:
Matchdays 1 and 2: 21 September to 6 October 2026
Matchdays 3 and 4: 9 to 17 November 2026
Matchdays 5 and 6: 22 to 30 March 2027
The 48 teams will be drawn into 12 groups of four teams each. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the Final Tournament.
The TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 also marks the competition return to the East African region for the first time since Ethiopia hosted the AFCON in 1976.
The TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 will build on the success of recent editions, including the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 and the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023, which delivered record commercial revenue, sponsorship growth and global broadcast audiences, reflecting the globally competitiveness and popularity of African football on the world stage.