The road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is beginning, with 48 countries competing for places at Africa’s biggest football tournament.
The qualifiers start this week and will continue until March 2027.
Meanwhile, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will host AFCON 2027. It will mark the tournament’s return to East Africa after more than five decades.
48 teams compete across 12 groups
The 48 teams have been divided into 12 groups of four.
Each country will play six qualifying matches.
Group A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
Group B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
Group C: Ivory Coast, 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
Which matches should fans watch?
Several major African teams will meet during the opening rounds.
Ivory Coast face Ghana on September 24.
A day later, Nigeria play Madagascar, while Morocco meet Gabon.
Egypt also face Angola, Algeria play Zambia and Senegal meet Mozambique on September 25.
South Africa then take on Guinea on September 26.
How does AFCON qualification work?
A total of 24 teams will play at AFCON 2027.
Normally, the top two teams from each qualifying group advance.
However, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have already qualified as hosts.
Therefore, in groups containing one of the three hosts, only the highest-ranked team other than the host will qualify.
The six qualifying rounds will take place across three international windows.
Rounds one and two run from September 21 to October 6, 2026.
Rounds three and four follow from November 9 to 17.
Finally, the last two rounds will take place from March 22 to 30, 2027.
Salah among stars to watch
Some of African football’s biggest names will feature during qualifying.
Egypt will look to Mohamed Salah, while Morocco’s squad includes Brahim Diaz and Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Nigeria can call on Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Kudus has returned to Ghana’s squad after an injury absence, according to Al Jazeera.
However, several major players will miss some of the opening matches.
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi will serve a two-match suspension.
Senegal will be without Sadio Mane against Mozambique because of what coach Patrick Vieira described as a “physical issue”.
Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen will also miss the opening qualifiers as he recovers from a muscle injury.
When is AFCON 2027?
AFCON 2027 will take place from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will jointly host the tournament across 10 venues.
Matches will be staged in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Zanzibar, Hoima, Kampala and Lira.
For now, however, attention turns to qualifying as dozens of African teams begin their journey towards the continental tournament.