CAF unveils AFCON 2027 qualifiers draw with heavyweight clashes in key groups

CAF has officially revealed the roadmap for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations by conducting the qualifying group draw in Cairo on Tuesday.

This sets the stage for a historic tournament to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The qualifying phase features 48 nations split into 12 groups, all vying for a spot in the finals scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027.

Several “Groups of Death” have emerged from the draw, promising high-stakes drama throughout the campaign.

Group C stands out as a heavyweight collision, featuring two-time champions Côte d’Ivoire alongside West African giants Ghana.

This pairing ensures that at least one continental powerhouse will face a grueling path to the finals.

Similarly, Group I presents a tactical battleground with Algeria and Zambia, while Group L sees Nigeria facing tricky opposition in Madagascar and fellow hosts Tanzania.

The tournament’s unique hosting structure introduces a specific qualifying quirk. As co-hosts, Kenya (Group D), Uganda (Group H), and Tanzania (Group L) have secured automatic berths.

However, they will still compete in the qualifiers to maintain match sharpness. In these specific pools, the highest-ranked team excluding the host will claim the second ticket to the finals.

The qualifying schedule is set to be a sprint, beginning with double-headers in late September 2026 and concluding in March 2027.

 Fans can expect intense competition as traditional giants look to avoid upsets from rising footballing nations like Comoros and Mauritania, who have proven to be giant-killers in recent editions.

The full groups for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers are:

• Group A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
• Group B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
• Group C: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Somalia
• Group D: South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea
• Group E: DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
• Group F: Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic
• Group G: Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo
• Group H: Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, Botswana
• Group I: Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi
• Group J: Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia
• Group K: Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia
• Group L: Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau