The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will officially conduct the draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, at 12:00 GMT, marking the start of the qualification journey to the continent’s premier football tournament.
The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in Cairo, where 48 national teams will learn their group-stage opponents for the race to the finals.
The 2027 AFCON will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, with the opening match set for 19 June 2027 and the final scheduled for 17 July 2027.
CAF has confirmed that the expanded qualification campaign will feature 48 teams, including the three host nations, competing for 24 available slots at the tournament.
The qualifiers will be played across three FIFA international windows. Matchdays one and two will run from 21 September to 6 October 2026, followed by matchdays three and four from 9 to 17 November 2026. The final two rounds will take place between 22 and 30 March 2027.
Teams will be placed into 12 groups of four, with the top two from each group securing automatic qualification. In groups featuring a host nation, an additional team will progress to ensure balanced representation at the finals.
The draw is expected to provide the first clear outline of the qualification pathway as nations across Africa begin preparations for the 2027 continental showpiece.
