CAF Announces Date for 2027 AFCON

 

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed the official schedule for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with the tournament set to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027.

In a statement released over the weekend, the continental football authority disclosed that the opening fixture will take place on a Saturday, with the final also scheduled for a Saturday four weeks later. 

However, CAF noted that the specific host venues for both matches are yet to be determined.

Approval for the tournament calendar was granted by the FIFA Council during a recent बैठक in Vancouver, Canada. 

The endorsement, according to CAF, ensures alignment with the global football calendar and provides participating nations with a clear preparation timeline.

Significantly, the 2027 edition will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, marking the first time three countries will co-host the competition. 

CAF believes the arrangement will deepen the sport’s footprint across East Africa, a region with a combined population exceeding 400 million.

“This format allows us to take the tournament closer to more fans than ever before,” a CAF official said. 

“It reflects our broader ambition to grow African football beyond traditional strongholds.”

Attention is now turning to the qualification process. CAF confirmed that the preliminary stage has already concluded, while the official draw for the qualifiers is scheduled for May 19, 2026.

A total of 48 national teams, including the three host nations, will enter the qualification race. 

These teams will be divided into 12 groups of four, with only the top two teams from each group securing a place at the finals.

Matches will be played across three FIFA international windows. 

The first set of fixtures will be held between late September and early October 2026. 

This will be followed by another round in November, while the final qualification games are slated for March 2027.

“The structure is designed to maintain competitiveness while ensuring fairness across all groups,” CAF stated.

Moreover, the 2027 tournament signals a return of AFCON to East Africa for the first time in over five decades. The last edition in the region was hosted by Ethiopia in 1976.

CAF also highlighted the growing global appeal of the competition, pointing to recent tournaments as evidence of its rising commercial and broadcast value. 

The governing body said lessons from Morocco 2025 and Côte d’Ivoire 2023 would be leveraged to deliver a more expansive and commercially successful event.

“With increasing international interest, AFCON is evolving into one of the most-watched football tournaments globally,” the statement added.

As preparations intensify, stakeholders across the three host nations are expected to ramp up infrastructure development and logistics planning of what promises to be a landmark edition of Africa’s premier football competition.