Morocco draw Gabon, Niger and Lesotho in AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Group A

The draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers has placed Morocco in Group A alongside Gabon, Niger and Lesotho, setting up a competitive pathway to the continental tournament as the qualification race takes shape across Africa.

Organised by the Confederation of African Football (Confederation of African Football), the draw outlines a challenging group for the Atlas Lions, represented by the Morocco national football team, who enter the campaign as one of the continent’s most consistent performers in recent years.

Group A brings together four nations with contrasting football profiles. Morocco will face the challenge of navigating fixtures against the Gabon national football team, the Niger national football team and the Lesotho national football team in what is expected to be a tightly contested group stage.

Qualification windows confirmed

CAF has also confirmed the international windows that will structure the qualifiers across the continent. Matchdays 1 and 2 will be played between 21 September and 6 October 2026, followed by Matchdays 3 and 4 scheduled for 9 to 17 November 2026. The final stretch, covering Matchdays 5 and 6, will take place from 22 to 30 March 2027.

The staggered calendar is designed to ensure clubs and national teams can manage player availability while maintaining competitive balance throughout the qualifying campaign.

Return to East Africa adds historic significance

The 2027 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations also carries added historical weight, as the tournament returns to the East African region for the first time in over five decades. The last time the region hosted the competition was in 1976, when Ethiopia staged the continental showpiece.

That return is expected to generate significant excitement across the region, with the tournament continuing its expansion and reaffirming its place as Africa’s premier football competition.

Building on recent success

The 2027 qualifiers and final tournament will also build on the momentum of recent editions, including the CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 and the CAF AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023. Both tournaments recorded significant growth in commercial revenue, sponsorship engagement and global broadcast audiences.

CAF officials have consistently highlighted these achievements as evidence of the competition’s rising global profile and the increasing competitiveness of African football on the world stage.

With qualification now mapped out, attention will turn to preparations as Morocco and their Group A rivals begin plotting their routes to what promises to be another highly competitive edition of AFCON in 2027.