The AFCON 2027 final is confirmed for Saturday 17 July 2027. The venue — which of the three co-host nations will stage the last match of the tournament — has not yet been officially announced by CAF. This guide covers everything confirmed, the leading candidates and why the AFCON 2027 final will be one of the great occasions in African football history.
AFCON 2027 Final — Confirmed Facts
| Detail | Status | Information |
|---|---|---|
| Date | ✅ Confirmed | Saturday 17 July 2027 |
| Kick-off time | ⏳ TBC by CAF | Expected 20:00 EAT (17:00 UTC) |
| Host nation for final | ⏳ TBC by CAF | Tanzania, Kenya or Uganda — not yet announced |
| Venue | ⏳ TBC by CAF | Benjamin Mkapa, Talanta or Mandela National |
| Tournament start | ✅ Confirmed | Saturday 19 June 2027 — opening match |
| Tournament duration | ✅ Confirmed | 29 days across three nations |
“CAF will announce the country that will host the opening match and the final in due course,” CAF said on 2 May 2026. The dates were approved by the FIFA Council in Vancouver. CAF will make the venue announcement separately once logistical planning between the three host nations is finalised.
The Three Candidates for the Final
🇹🇿 Benjamin Mkapa Stadium — Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tanzania’s flagship venue and the strongest candidate for the AFCON 2027 final. Due to its CAF-accredited status, the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium is guaranteed to host one of the AFCON 2027 semi-final matches. A semi-final venue hosting the final is the standard format — and Tanzania as lead host makes Benjamin Mkapa the logical choice.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 60,000 |
| Location | Temeke District, Dar es Salaam |
| Status | CAF-accredited · 95% renovated · Guaranteed semi-final venue |
| Case for the final | Lead host nation · CAF-accredited · Largest confirmed-ready venue |
The case for Benjamin Mkapa is strong. Tanzania is the lead co-host with four venues across three cities — the most of any host nation. The renovation is 95% complete. Tanzania has paid its hosting fees in full. And by AFCON tradition, the final is hosted by the nation that hosts the most matches. All roads point to Dar es Salaam.
🇰🇪 Talanta Stadium (Raila Odinga International Stadium) — Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya’s brand new 60,000-seat purpose-built arena in the Jamhuri Grounds area along Ngong Road. The Raila Odinga International Stadium is nearing completion ahead of AFCON 2027, with major structural works complete and teams now finalizing ICT systems, broadcast infrastructure and spectator facilities.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 60,000 |
| Location | Jamhuri Grounds, Ngong Road, Nairobi |
| Status | Final construction phase — target completion July 2026 |
| Case for the final | Brand new stadium, football-specific design, 60,000 capacity |
Talanta is the tournament’s most spectacular new build — a football-specific stadium with no athletics track, purpose-designed for the highest level of play. If CAF wants to showcase a statement venue for the final, Talanta makes the argument. The caveat: it must achieve full CAF certification before the tournament begins.
🇺🇬 Mandela National Stadium — Kampala, Uganda
Uganda’s main venue with a 45,000 capacity, undergoing renovation to meet CAF standards. The least likely candidate for the final given its smaller capacity relative to the other two, but Uganda’s co-host status keeps it in contention for a semi-final at minimum.
Why Tanzania Is the Most Likely Host of the Final
History, logic and the structure of the AFCON 2027 bid all point toward Tanzania hosting the final at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium:
- Tanzania is the lead co-host — with four venues across three cities (Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Zanzibar), Tanzania hosts the most matches of any of the three nations
- Benjamin Mkapa is already CAF-accredited — the only venue in the tournament with confirmed CAF accreditation, which guarantees it a semi-final. A semi-final venue hosting the final is AFCON’s standard format
- Tanzania paid its hosting fees in full — demonstrating the financial commitment that typically earns prestige fixtures
- 60,000 capacity — the largest confirmed-ready venue in the tournament, appropriate for the final
- AFCON tradition — the lead host nation has hosted the final at every recent multi-venue AFCON
However CAF has not confirmed this. The announcement will come separately. This page will be updated immediately when CAF makes the official decision.
Why the AFCON 2027 Final Matters Beyond Football
Every AFCON has a final. The AFCON 2027 final carries historical weight that no previous final has carried in decades:
East Africa’s first AFCON final in 51 years. The last time this region hosted AFCON was Ethiopia in 1976. On 17 July 2027, regardless of which stadium hosts it, an entire generation of East African football fans will witness something they have waited their whole lives for.
The last biennial AFCON final ever. CAF announced in December 2025 that the tournament moves to a quadrennial format from 2028. The final whistle on 17 July 2027 ends not just a tournament — it ends a 70-year era of the Africa Cup of Nations as a biennial competition. The teams, players and fans inside that stadium will be part of football history.
The strongest player pool in AFCON history. For the first time in years, AFCON returns to a summer calendar aligned with Europe’s off-season. Victor Osimhen, Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakimi, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane — all available, all rested. The AFCON 2027 final will have the highest quality of players ever assembled for an AFCON finale.
Previous AFCON Finals — Historical Context
| Year | Host | Final | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFCON 2025 | Morocco 🇲🇦 | Morocco vs Senegal | Morocco win (Senegal abandoned) |
| AFCON 2023 | Côte d’Ivoire 🇨🇮 | Côte d’Ivoire vs Nigeria | 2–1 to Côte d’Ivoire |
| AFCON 2021 | Cameroon 🇨🇲 | Senegal vs Egypt | Senegal win on penalties |
| AFCON 2019 | Egypt 🇪🇬 | Algeria vs Senegal | 1–0 to Algeria |
| AFCON 2017 | Gabon 🇬🇦 | Cameroon vs Egypt | 2–1 to Cameroon |
| AFCON 2027 | Tanzania/Kenya/Uganda 🇹🇿🇰🇪🇺🇬 | TBC | 17 July 2027 |
AFCON 2027 Final Tickets — How to Get Them
The final will be the single most in-demand ticket of the entire tournament. Based on AFCON 2025 demand, the final sells out in the Visa presale window — before general public sales open:
- Register at tickets.cafonline.com now — mandatory before any purchase, even before sales open
- Get a Visa card — gives 48-hour exclusive presale access before the general public
- Buy in Phase 1 Visa presale — the final will sell out here
- Official ticket sales expected August–October 2026
See our complete ticket buying guide and our ticket prices guide for expected costs in TZS, KES and UGX.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the AFCON 2027 final?
Saturday 17 July 2027.
Where will the AFCON 2027 final be held?
Not yet confirmed by CAF. The leading candidates are Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam (60,000), Talanta Stadium in Nairobi (60,000) and Mandela National Stadium in Kampala (45,000). CAF will announce the final venue separately.
Will Tanzania host the AFCON 2027 final?
Tanzania is the strongest candidate based on its status as lead co-host, Benjamin Mkapa’s CAF accreditation and the tournament’s structural logic — but this has not been confirmed by CAF.
What time does the AFCON 2027 final kick off?
Kick-off time has not been confirmed. Based on recent AFCON finals, expect 20:00 EAT (17:00 UTC / 18:00 CET).
Who are the favourites to reach the AFCON 2027 final?
See our complete predictions guide for the full tournament winner analysis.
For the complete AFCON 2027 fixture list see our fixtures guide. For all seven AFCON 2027 stadiums see our stadiums guide. For tickets see our tickets guide. For the tournament opening match see our opening match guide.
Final date confirmed by CAF official statement 2 May 2026, approved by FIFA Council in Vancouver. Final venue not yet officially confirmed by CAF as of July 2026. This page will be updated immediately when CAF makes the official announcement.