The road to the historic Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2027) in East Africa will officially begin on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, when the draw for the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda 2027 qualifiers takes place in Cairo.
CAF confirmed that the ceremony will be held at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in the Egyptian capital starting at 15:00 local time (12:00 GMT).
A total of 48 national teams, including co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, will participate in the qualification campaign for what is set to become one of the most significant editions of the tournament in African football history.
The teams will be drawn into 12 groups of four, with the top two sides from each group securing qualification for the finals.
CAF also confirmed a special qualification arrangement for groups containing one of the three host nations, where an additional team will qualify alongside the co-host.
The qualification matches will be played across three FIFA international windows between September 2026 and March 2027.
Matchdays one and two are scheduled between 21 September and 6 October 2026, while matchdays three and four will take place from 9 to 17 November 2026.
The final qualification fixtures — matchdays five and six — are set for 22 to 30 March 2027.
The 2027 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will itself make history as the first AFCON ever to be jointly hosted by three countries.
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will stage the tournament under the “PAMOJA” banner, with the competition expected to become one of the largest sporting events ever held in East Africa.
CAF has already confirmed that the tournament will begin on 19 June 2027, with the final scheduled for 17 July 2027.
Host venues for the opening match and final are expected to be announced at a later stage as preparations continue across the three nations.
The return of AFCON to East Africa also carries major historical significance, marking the first time the continent’s biggest football tournament will be staged in the region since Ethiopia hosted the competition in 1976.
With the draw now approaching, attention will begin shifting towards the qualification battle as African nations prepare to fight for places at what promises to be a landmark edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
