Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
The next step toward the CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 is happening next week. On Tuesday, African nations will officially learn their opponents when CAF holds the draw for the qualification phase in Cairo.
The event will take place at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters and start at 15:00 local time (12:00 GMT), with the ceremony streamed live on CAF TV.
A total of 48 African nations will be involved in the qualifying process, including hosts Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, who automatically qualify for the tournament but will still participate in the draw structure.
How the qualifiers will work
The qualification campaign will consist of 12 groups of four teams, labeled from Group A to Group L.
The format is relatively straightforward: the top 2 teams from each group will secure places at the final tournament. However, CAF has introduced a specific adjustment for groups involving one of the host nations. In those groups, an additional team will qualify to ensure sporting balance and fairness across the competition.
That setup will ultimately determine the 24 teams heading to East Africa in 2027.
CAF has also released the calendar for the six group-stage matchdays, which will be spread across three FIFA international windows.
- Matchdays 1 & 2: September 21 – October 6, 2026
- Matchdays 3 & 4: November 9 – November 17, 2026
- Matchdays 5 & 6: March 22 – March 30, 2027
The ceremony itself will feature several familiar faces. Four former African stars have been invited to assist with the draw: Max Alain Gradel, William Troost-Ekong, Essam El Hadary, and Trésor Mputu.
The 2027 edition will be a special one for African football. For the first time, the AFCON will be jointly hosted in East Africa, with Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania sharing hosting duties. The tournament, the 36th edition of AFCON, is scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
Read also: Motsepe Creates PAMOJA Oversight Committee to Fast-Track AFCON 2027 Preparations
