⏰ AFCON 2027 Countdown — Key Facts
- Days to first match: 13 days (Cote d’Ivoire v Ghana, 24 September)
- Matchday 1 window: 24-26 September 2026
- Matchday 2 window: 28 September – 6 October 2026
- Total teams: 48 African nations across 12 groups
- Co-hosts qualifying: 🇹🇿 Tanzania · 🇰🇪 Kenya · 🇺🇬 Uganda
- Tournament dates: 19 June – 17 July 2027
- Days to tournament: 281 days
Summary: The countdown to the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers is officially into single-figure weeks. In 13 days, 48 African nations kick off their qualifying campaigns across the continent — with co-hosts Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda beginning their competitive preparation for hosting the tournament next June. This is the definitive countdown guide: fixtures, storylines, how to watch, and what makes AFCON 2027 different from every tournament that came before it.
Thirteen days. That’s all that separates African football fans from the start of the biggest journey to any AFCON in a decade. On Thursday 24 September 2026, the qualifying campaign for the first-ever three-nation AFCON kicks off — starting with the West African heavyweight clash Cote d’Ivoire v Ghana at 19:00 GMT. Over the following two weeks, 48 nations play 48 matches across 12 groups, in the most competitive continental qualifying window in years.
🏆 The Headline Matchday 1 Fixtures
Six matches from Matchday 1 stand out as genuine appointment television:
| Fixture | Date | Kick-off (GMT) | Why watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇮 Cote d’Ivoire v Ghana 🇬🇭 | 24 Sept | 19:00 | 4-time champions meet 4-time champions |
| 🇲🇦 Morocco v Gabon 🇬🇦 | 25 Sept | 19:00 | Semi-finalists open their campaign |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt v Angola 🇦🇴 | 25 Sept | 19:00 | 7-time record champions at home |
| 🇩🇿 Algeria v Zambia 🇿🇲 | 25 Sept | 19:00 | Tournament dark horse fixture |
| 🇹🇿 Tanzania v Guinea-Bissau 🇬🇼 | 25 Sept | 13:00 | Home co-host opener at Benjamin Mkapa |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya v Eritrea 🇪🇷 | 26 Sept | 13:00 | Kenya co-host opener at Nyayo |
🇹🇿 🇰🇪 🇺🇬 The Host Nations — What to Expect
All three co-hosts are automatically qualified but will play the qualifiers as competitive preparation for June 2027. Each carries different storylines into their opening fixture:
🇹🇿 Tanzania (Taifa Stars) — Group L
Head coach Miguel Ángel Gamondi opens his AFCON 2027 preparation at home against Guinea-Bissau on 25 September, 16:00 EAT at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Gamondi has named a strong 42-player provisional squad including MLS-based Bernard Kamungo (FC Dallas), signalling ambition to build a genuinely competitive host squad. Group L also contains Nigeria and Madagascar — meaning Tanzania will face top-tier African opposition throughout qualifying.
🇰🇪 Kenya (Harambee Stars) — Group D
Benni McCarthy’s Kenya open at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi against Eritrea on 26 September, 16:00 EAT. Group D also contains South Africa and Guinea — a genuinely challenging group that gives McCarthy exactly the kind of test he needs before hosting the tournament. Kenya’s newly renovated Kasarani Stadium and the new Talanta Stadium will be showcase venues for the world in June.
🇺🇬 Uganda (Cranes) — Group H
Uganda face perhaps the toughest opening test of any co-host — an away trip to Tunisia on 24 September, 22:00 EAT. Group H also contains Libya and Botswana. Coach Paul Put’s Cranes will use these qualifiers to test tactical setups ahead of hosting matches at Nakivubo Stadium in Kampala and the new Hoima Stadium.
🎬 The 5 Biggest Storylines Going Into Matchday 1
1. Cote d’Ivoire vs Ghana — the West African Powerhouse Clash
The AFCON 2023 champions face fellow four-time African champions Ghana in the qualifying opener of the century. Cote d’Ivoire have used the two years since their Yamoussoukro victory to build a genuine squad; Ghana will look to punish Les Elephants for any complacency. Anticipation across West Africa is enormous.
2. Morocco’s Dominance — Can Anyone Stop the Atlas Lions?
Morocco arrive as reigning AFCON 2025 champions and 2022 World Cup semi-finalists. Coach Walid Regragui has built one of the deepest African squads in memory. Group A opens against Gabon at Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdallah — expect a statement performance.
3. The Return of AFCON to East Africa
For the first time in 51 years — since Ethiopia 1976 — the Africa Cup of Nations returns to East Africa. Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda are the first three co-hosts in the tournament’s 66-year history. Every qualifying fixture involving one of these three nations carries additional narrative weight.
4. Sudan’s Coach James Kwesi Appiah — the Coach of the Cycle?
Ghanaian tactician James Kwesi Appiah has quietly built one of the most remarkable coaching stories in African football. Under him, Sudan qualified for AFCON 2025 in Morocco despite the ongoing civil conflict at home, and held Senegal to a 0-0 draw in World Cup qualifying. Sudan open against Ethiopia at Juba on 25 September in Group J — a story worth following.
5. Which Established Nation Will Fail to Qualify?
Every AFCON qualifying cycle has at least one shock. In 2023 it was Congo missing out. Which of Egypt, Algeria, Cameroon or Nigeria’s regional rivals falls this time? Group L (Nigeria’s group) is worth watching — Nigeria are drawn with Tanzania, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, meaning they must finish top of the group to qualify (host groups only send one non-host team through).
📺 How to Watch AFCON 2027 Qualifiers
Broadcast rights vary by region:
| Region | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
| 🇹🇿 Tanzania | Azam TV, TBC Taifa |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya | KTN, Citizen TV, StarTimes |
| 🇺🇬 Uganda | NBS Sport, Sanyuka TV |
| 🇬🇧 UK & Ireland | Sky Sports (selected matches) |
| 🇺🇸 USA & Canada | beIN Sports, FanCode |
| 🇫🇷 France & West Africa | Canal+ Afrique |
| Pan-African | SuperSport, StarTimes |
Streaming options for international fans: beIN Connect, Canal+ myCanal, FanCode, Azam TV app (subscription), CAF’s official streaming partners as they are announced.
🎫 What About Tournament Tickets?
Official AFCON 2027 tournament ticket sales have not yet opened. Based on CAF’s historic release pattern (AFCON 2025 tickets went on sale September 2025 for a December 2025 tournament), tournament tickets are expected to open between August and October 2026 via tickets.cafonline.com. No announcement has been made yet as of 11 September 2026.
The best way to be first when sales open:
- Register your CAF account at tickets.cafonline.com now
- Turn on all email notifications from CAF
- Follow @CAF_Online on Twitter/X — announcements go live there first
- Watch our tickets guide — updated the moment CAF confirms
📅 The Full Qualifying Calendar
| Matchday | Dates | Days from now |
|---|---|---|
| MD1 | 24-26 September 2026 | 13-15 days |
| MD2 | 28 September – 6 October 2026 | 17-25 days |
| MD3 | 9-13 November 2026 | ~59 days |
| MD4 | 14-17 November 2026 | ~64 days |
| MD5 | 22-25 March 2027 | ~192 days |
| MD6 | 27-30 March 2027 | ~197 days |
| Tournament | 19 June – 17 July 2027 | ~281 days |
🌍 The Bigger Picture — Why This AFCON Matters
AFCON 2027 is not just another Africa Cup of Nations. Three things make this cycle historic:
- First-ever three-nation host. Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda become the first co-hosting trio in the tournament’s history.
- Return to East Africa after 51 years. The last East African AFCON was Ethiopia 1976 — before most current fans were born.
- Last biennial AFCON. From 2028, AFCON becomes a quadrennial tournament aligned with the global calendar. AFCON 2027 is the final chance to watch the competition in its traditional two-year rhythm.
For fans, players and the three East African host nations, this is a once-in-a-generation moment. The countdown to qualifying kick-off is really a countdown to something much bigger.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does AFCON 2027 qualifying start?
The AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign starts on Thursday 24 September 2026 with three fixtures: Cote d’Ivoire v Ghana, DR Congo v Equatorial Guinea, and several others across Groups E, F and G.
How many teams play in the qualifying?
48 African nations compete across 12 groups of 4. The top two teams from each non-host group qualify for the tournament (top one from host groups D, H, L).
When is Tanzania’s first AFCON 2027 qualifier?
Tanzania hosts Guinea-Bissau at 13:00 GMT (16:00 EAT) on 25 September 2026 at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
When is Kenya’s first AFCON 2027 qualifier?
Kenya hosts Eritrea at 13:00 GMT (16:00 EAT) on 26 September 2026 at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
When is Uganda’s first AFCON 2027 qualifier?
Uganda faces Tunisia away at 19:00 GMT on 24 September 2026 — one of the toughest openers of the qualifying campaign.
What is the biggest AFCON 2027 qualifier Matchday 1 fixture?
Cote d’Ivoire v Ghana on Thursday 24 September at 19:00 GMT is the marquee opener. Two four-time African champions with generations of rivalry.
Where is AFCON 2027 hosted?
AFCON 2027 will be held in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027 — the first three-nation host in tournament history and East Africa’s first AFCON in 51 years.
For the complete AFCON 2027 fixtures see our Matchday 1 & 2 schedule. For Tanzania’s squad see our Taifa Stars preview. For all AFCON 2027 stadiums see our tournament overview. Try our AFCON 2027 bracket predictor to simulate who lifts the trophy.
Countdown accurate as of 11 September 2026. Article updated regularly as qualifying approaches. All fixture times confirmed by CAF official release on 4 September 2026.