AFCON 2027: Three Nations Have Already Secured Qualification

Three countries have already booked their places at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, even before the main qualification battle gets underway.

Co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are guaranteed places at the finals by virtue of hosting the historic tournament, leaving the remaining 21 tickets to be settled on the pitch.

The competition, officially known as the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027, will be the first edition of AFCON to be hosted jointly by three countries. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will stage the tournament from June 19 to July 17, 2027.

The word “PAMOJA” means “together” in Swahili and reflects the three-nation hosting arrangement.

Hosts already assured of places

Although their qualification is guaranteed, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will still compete in the qualifying groups.

Kenya has been drawn in Group D alongside South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea.

Uganda will battle Tunisia, Libya and Botswana in Group H, while Tanzania is in Group L with Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

Their participation means the qualification rules for their respective groups are different from those in the other sections.

21 tickets still up for grabs

The main qualifying stage features 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four.

In Groups A, B, C, E, F, G, I, J and K, the first- and second-placed teams will earn qualification for the finals.

But in Groups D, H and L, where the three co-hosts are competing, only the best-placed team other than the host nation will qualify.

As a result, 21 teams will emerge from the qualifying campaign to join the three automatically qualified hosts and form the 24-team AFCON 2027 lineup.

Road to East Africa

The qualifiers will be played over six matchdays.

The opening two matchdays are scheduled for September 21 to October 6, 2026, followed by Matchdays 3 and 4 from November 9 to 17, 2026.

The final two rounds will be played between March 22 and 30, 2027.

With the three hosts already assured of their places, attention will now turn to the 48 participating nations battling for the remaining 21 tickets to what promises to be a historic AFCON tournament in East Africa.

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