Africa’s flagship football tournament is now just one year away from making a historic return to East Africa, with preparations gathering pace for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Kenya–Tanzania–Uganda 2027.
The competition is scheduled to begin on 19 June 2027, marking the first time since 1976 that the continent’s premier men’s football championship will be staged in East Africa. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will jointly host the tournament, with the final set to take place on 17 July 2027.
Organisers expect the event to attract more than 1.5 million supporters across multiple venues in the three countries, highlighting the continued growth of a competition that now reaches a global television audience estimated at more than 3.2 billion viewers.
With exactly 365 days remaining until kick-off, planning efforts are intensifying as the Confederation of African Football (CAF), local organising committees and the governments of the host nations continue preparations for what is expected to be one of the most significant sporting events ever staged in the region.
CAF is currently holding discussions with organisers and government representatives to determine several key ceremonial arrangements. These include selecting the host country for the final draw, which is scheduled for March 2027, as well as deciding where the opening match and the tournament final will be played.
The tournament will be held under the theme “PAMOJA”, a Swahili word meaning “Together”.
According to organisers, the theme has been chosen to represent unity, cooperation and collective progress across Africa. It also reflects CAF’s ambition to use football as a force capable of bringing together people, cultures and nations from across the continent.
While attention is increasingly turning towards the finals, the qualification process is already under way.
The road to AFCON 2027 began following the qualifying draw held in Cairo in May, where 48 nations learned the groups and opponents they must overcome to secure places at the tournament.
Several of Africa’s leading football nations, including Ghana, Morocco, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon, Tunisia, South Africa and DR Congo, are preparing to launch their qualification campaigns when matches begin in September 2026.
The qualifying competition will be played across three FIFA international windows. The first two matchdays are scheduled between 21 September and 6 October 2026. Matchdays three and four will follow from 9 to 17 November 2026, while the final two rounds will be played between 22 and 30 March 2027.
Although Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have automatically secured places at the finals as host nations, all three teams will still take part in the qualifying competition. However, only one additional nation from each of their groups will progress to the tournament.
Recent editions of AFCON in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco have helped expand the tournament’s global profile, recording strong viewing figures and growing fan engagement.
As a result, the competition has further strengthened its status as Africa’s most prestigious football tournament and one of the most widely watched sporting events in the world.
With one year remaining before the opening whistle, anticipation continues to build across the continent. Organisers believe AFCON 2027 will not only showcase elite football but also provide an opportunity to present East Africa to a worldwide audience.
For Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the tournament represents a chance to host a landmark sporting spectacle, while for CAF it offers an opportunity to celebrate African unity, passion and progress through the game.
As preparations enter their final year, AFCON 2027 is already being viewed as a defining moment in the history of African football and sport.
