The draw for the Preliminary Round Qualifiers of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania has been completed, producing several intriguing regional clashes.
Twelve of the continent’s lowest-ranked sides in the FIFA World Rankings enter at this stage, with six winners advancing to join the other 42 CAF member associations in the group stage of the qualifiers.
Southern Africa will see Seychelles and Lesotho face off in a two-legged tie, with the Indian Ocean island nation hosting the first leg.
East Africa also features prominently, as Djibouti hosts South Sudan in the opening match of their fixture. Chad will welcome Burundi, while Somalia plays host to Mauritius, offering teams a chance to gain early momentum ahead of the group stage.
Further fixtures include Eritrea hosting Eswatini and São Tomé and Príncipe welcoming Ethiopia for the first leg of their respective ties.
All matches are scheduled to take place during the upcoming FIFA International Window from 25–31 March 2026.
The 2027 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will be historic, marking the first time that three nations—Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania—have co-hosted Africa’s premier football tournament.
The preliminary round matches will set the tone for the qualifiers and provide lower-ranked teams an opportunity to stake their claim and build confidence against regional rivals.
Preliminary Round Fixtures:
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Djibouti vs South Sudan (M1 & M2)
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Chad vs Burundi (M3 & M4)
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Somalia vs Mauritius (M5 & M6)
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Seychelles vs Lesotho (M7 & M8)
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Eritrea vs Eswatini (M9 & M10)
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São Tomé and Príncipe vs Ethiopia (M11 & M12)
With regional pride and qualification at stake, these early encounters promise competitive football as Africa’s emerging teams fight for a place in the AFCON 2027 group stage.
