AFCON 2027 Qualifiers — Key Facts
- Fixtures release date: 4 September 2026 by CAF
- Matchday 1 dates: 24-26 September 2026
- Matchday 2 dates: 28 September – 6 October 2026
- Total participating nations: 48 across 12 groups of 4
- Co-hosts: 🇰🇪 Kenya (Group D) · 🇹🇿 Tanzania (Group L) · 🇺🇬 Uganda (Group H)
- Co-host status: Automatically qualified — plus one top team from each of their groups
- Qualification format: Top 2 from non-host groups qualify. Only top 1 from host groups qualifies
- Remaining matchdays: MD3-4 in November 2026 · MD5-6 in March 2027
- Tournament: 19 June – 17 July 2027 in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda
Summary: The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the full fixtures, kick-off times and venues for Matchday 1 and Matchday 2 of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers. Forty-eight nations are divided into 12 groups of four, with matches scheduled between 24 September and 6 October 2026. Standout Matchday 1 fixtures include Cote d’Ivoire vs Ghana, Morocco vs Gabon, Egypt vs Angola and Algeria vs Zambia. Co-hosts Kenya (Group D), Tanzania (Group L) and Uganda (Group H) are automatically qualified but will play the fixtures as competitive preparation. This article lists every match, kick-off time and venue.
CAF has confirmed the AFCON PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers fixtures, dates, kick-off times and venues in an official release on 4 September 2026. The opening two matchdays kick off the journey of 48 African nations toward the tournament in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda next June. This article covers every fixture, key storylines, qualification rules for the co-host groups, and what happens next.
Matchday 1 — Full Fixtures (24-26 September 2026)
All times in GMT. For East African Time (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda) add 3 hours. For West African Time (Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire) add 1 hour.
| Group | Fixture | Date | Kick-off (GMT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | 🇲🇦 Morocco v Gabon 🇬🇦 | 25 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group A | 🇳🇪 Niger v Lesotho 🇱🇸 | 25 Sept | 15:00 |
| Group B | 🇪🇬 Egypt v Angola 🇦🇴 | 25 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group B | 🇲🇼 Malawi v South Sudan 🇸🇸 | 25 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group C | 🇨🇮 Cote d’Ivoire v Ghana 🇬🇭 | 24 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group C | 🇬🇲 Gambia v Somalia 🇸🇴 | 25 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group D 🏆 | 🇿🇦 South Africa v Guinea 🇬🇳 | 26 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group D 🏆 | 🇰🇪 Kenya v Eritrea 🇪🇷 | 26 Sept | 13:00 |
| Group E | 🇨🇩 DR Congo v Equatorial Guinea 🇬🇶 | 24 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group E | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone v Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 | 24 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group F | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso v Benin 🇧🇯 | 25 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group F | 🇲🇷 Mauritania v CAR 🇨🇫 | 24 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group G | 🇨🇲 Cameroon v Comoros 🇰🇲 | 24 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group G | 🇳🇦 Namibia v Congo 🇨🇬 | 24 Sept | 13:00 |
| Group H 🏆 | 🇹🇳 Tunisia v Uganda 🇺🇬 | 24 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group H 🏆 | 🇱🇾 Libya v Botswana 🇧🇼 | 24 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group I | 🇩🇿 Algeria v Zambia 🇿🇲 | 25 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group I | 🇹🇬 Togo v Burundi 🇧🇮 | 25 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group J | 🇸🇳 Senegal v Mozambique 🇲🇿 | 25 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group J | 🇸🇩 Sudan v Ethiopia 🇪🇹 | 25 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group K | 🇲🇱 Mali v Cape Verde 🇨🇻 | 25 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group K | 🇷🇼 Rwanda v Liberia 🇱🇷 | 25 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group L 🏆 | 🇳🇬 Nigeria v Madagascar 🇲🇬 | 25 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group L 🏆 | 🇹🇿 Tanzania v Guinea-Bissau 🇬🇼 | 25 Sept | 13:00 |
🏆 = groups containing an AFCON 2027 co-host
Matchday 2 — Full Fixtures (28 September – 6 October 2026)
| Group | Fixture | Date | Kick-off (GMT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | 🇬🇦 Gabon v Niger 🇳🇪 | 29 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group A | 🇱🇸 Lesotho v Morocco 🇲🇦 | 29 Sept | 13:00 |
| Group B | 🇦🇴 Angola v Malawi 🇲🇼 | 6 Oct | 19:00 |
| Group B | 🇸🇸 South Sudan v Egypt 🇪🇬 | 29 Sept | 13:00 |
| Group C | 🇬🇭 Ghana v Gambia 🇬🇲 | 29 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group C | 🇸🇴 Somalia v Cote d’Ivoire 🇨🇮 | 29 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group D 🏆 | 🇬🇳 Guinea v Kenya 🇰🇪 | 1 Oct | 16:00 |
| Group D 🏆 | 🇪🇷 Eritrea v South Africa 🇿🇦 | 30 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group E | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea v Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 | 28 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group E | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe v DR Congo 🇨🇩 | 28 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group F | 🇧🇯 Benin v Mauritania 🇲🇷 | 29 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group F | 🇨🇫 CAR v Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 | 28 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group G | 🇰🇲 Comoros v Namibia 🇳🇦 | 29 Sept | 11:00 |
| Group G | 🇨🇬 Congo v Cameroon 🇨🇲 | 29 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group H 🏆 | 🇺🇬 Uganda v Libya 🇱🇾 | 29 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group H 🏆 | 🇧🇼 Botswana v Tunisia 🇹🇳 | 28 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group I | 🇿🇲 Zambia v Togo 🇹🇬 | 29 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group I | 🇧🇮 Burundi v Algeria 🇩🇿 | 29 Sept | 13:00 |
| Group J | 🇲🇿 Mozambique v Sudan 🇸🇩 | 29 Sept | 13:00 |
| Group J | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia v Senegal 🇸🇳 | 29 Sept | 13:00 |
| Group K | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde v Rwanda 🇷🇼 | 29 Sept | 16:00 |
| Group K | 🇱🇷 Liberia v Mali 🇲🇱 | 29 Sept | 19:00 |
| Group L 🏆 | 🇲🇬 Madagascar v Tanzania 🇹🇿 | 29 Sept | 13:00 |
| Group L 🏆 | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau v Nigeria 🇳🇬 | 29 Sept | 16:00 |
The Headline Fixtures — What to Watch
🇨🇮 Cote d’Ivoire v Ghana — 24 September, 19:00 GMT
The heavyweight West African fixture of the qualifying campaign kicks off Matchday 1. Cote d’Ivoire, the AFCON 2023 champions, face fellow four-time African champions Ghana in Group C. Both nations are qualifying-campaign heavyweights and this is arguably the most anticipated Matchday 1 fixture across the continent.
🇲🇦 Morocco v Gabon — 25 September, 19:00 GMT
The Atlas Lions, hosts of AFCON 2025 and semi-finalists at the 2022 World Cup, welcome Gabon to the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdallah. Morocco is one of the tournament favourites and a heavy favourite in Group A.
🇪🇬 Egypt v Angola — 25 September, 19:00 GMT
Record seven-time African champions Egypt welcome Angola to Cairo International Stadium. The Pharaohs open their Group B campaign at home in front of what is expected to be a full house.
🇩🇿 Algeria v Zambia — 25 September, 19:00 GMT
Algeria face Zambia at the Stade Hocine Aït Ahmed in Tizi-Ouzou. The Desert Foxes are a genuine tournament contender and Zambia will be tested from Matchday 1.
🇹🇿 Tanzania v Guinea-Bissau — 25 September, 13:00 GMT
Tanzania opens the AFCON 2027 qualifying journey at home against Guinea-Bissau. Although Taifa Stars are already qualified as co-host, this fixture at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam is the biggest home qualifier match in years — and a chance for Miguel Gamondi’s side to build tournament confidence.
🇰🇪 Kenya v Eritrea — 26 September, 13:00 GMT
Kenya opens their campaign at Nyayo National Stadium against Eritrea. Coach Benni McCarthy uses this fixture as competitive preparation for his automatically-qualified Harambee Stars ahead of AFCON 2027.
🇺🇬 Tunisia v Uganda — 24 September, 19:00 GMT
Uganda faces Tunisia away from home in one of the tougher Group H openers. The Cranes are already qualified as co-host but this test against the AFCON heavyweights will be a genuine measuring stick.
The Co-Host Qualifying Rule — What’s Different
Kenya (Group D), Tanzania (Group L) and Uganda (Group H) are automatically qualified for AFCON 2027 as co-hosts. This changes the qualification rules for their groups:
| Group Type | Qualification Rule |
|---|---|
| Non-host groups (9 groups) | Top TWO teams qualify for AFCON 2027 |
| Host groups (Groups D, H, L) | The host is already qualified; only the HIGHEST-placed non-host team qualifies |
Practical impact for host groups:
- Group D: Kenya qualified. Only one of South Africa, Guinea or Eritrea qualifies
- Group H: Uganda qualified. Only one of Tunisia, Libya or Botswana qualifies
- Group L: Tanzania qualified. Only one of Nigeria, Madagascar or Guinea-Bissau qualifies
This makes host groups fiercely competitive between the three non-host nations, while giving the host countries six matches of competitive preparation.
The Full Qualifying Schedule
Matchdays 1 and 2 (24 September – 6 October 2026) are just the opening rounds. The complete qualifying campaign includes six matchdays:
| Matchday | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MD1 | 24-26 September 2026 | Home-and-away Round 1 |
| MD2 | 28 September – 6 October 2026 | Home-and-away Round 2 |
| MD3 | 9-13 November 2026 | FIFA international window |
| MD4 | 14-17 November 2026 | Continues Nov window |
| MD5 | 22-25 March 2027 | Penultimate round |
| MD6 | 27-30 March 2027 | Final qualifying matchday |
The qualifiers use a home-and-away format across six matchdays. Following the March 2027 fixtures, the 24 qualifying nations plus the three co-hosts complete the 28-team AFCON 2027 field.
Time Zone Conversion Guide
All fixture times above are in GMT. To convert to your local time:
| Region | Conversion |
|---|---|
| 🇹🇿🇰🇪🇺🇬 East Africa Time (EAT) | GMT + 3 hours |
| 🇳🇬🇬🇭🇸🇳 West Africa Time (WAT) | GMT + 1 hour |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa Standard Time | GMT + 2 hours |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt Standard Time | GMT + 2 hours (EET) |
| 🇲🇦 Morocco Standard Time | GMT (same time) |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (BST) | GMT + 1 hour |
| 🇺🇸 US Eastern Time (EDT) | GMT – 4 hours |
Example: Tanzania vs Guinea-Bissau at 13:00 GMT on 25 September = 16:00 EAT (local Tanzania time) = 14:00 BST (UK) = 09:00 EDT (US East Coast).
Frequently Asked Questions
When do AFCON 2027 qualifiers start?
The first AFCON 2027 qualifier kicks off on Thursday, 24 September 2026 with three fixtures: DR Congo v Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone v Zimbabwe (Group E), Mauritania v CAR (Group F), Namibia v Congo, Cameroon v Comoros (Group G), and the headline West African clash Cote d’Ivoire vs Ghana (Group C). Cote d’Ivoire vs Ghana kicks off at 19:00 GMT.
How many AFCON 2027 qualifying groups are there?
12 groups. Each group contains four teams. Forty-eight African nations participate in total.
Which teams are automatically qualified for AFCON 2027?
Three co-host nations are automatically qualified: Kenya (Group D), Tanzania (Group L) and Uganda (Group H). They still play the qualifiers but the results do not affect their tournament qualification.
How do teams qualify from the host groups (D, H, L)?
Because the host nation is already qualified, only ONE additional team from each host group qualifies for AFCON 2027 — the highest-placed non-host team in the final standings. This makes the battle for qualification in the host groups fiercely competitive between the three non-host nations.
How do teams qualify from the other groups (non-host groups)?
The top TWO teams from each of the nine non-host groups qualify for AFCON 2027. This gives 18 qualified teams from non-host groups, plus 3 hosts, plus the 3 highest non-host teams from host groups — completing the 24 additional teams alongside the co-hosts for the 28-team tournament.
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. This is Matchday 1 of the qualifying campaign.
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. This is Kenya’s Matchday 1 fixture.
When is Uganda’s first AFCON 2027 qualifier?
Uganda faces Tunisia away at 19:00 GMT on 24 September 2026. This is Uganda’s Matchday 1 fixture and one of the toughest openers of the qualifying campaign given Tunisia’s continental pedigree.
What is the biggest AFCON 2027 qualifier Matchday 1?
Cote d’Ivoire vs Ghana on 24 September 2026 at 19:00 GMT is the most anticipated Matchday 1 fixture. It brings together two four-time AFCON champions with a rich West African rivalry. Cote d’Ivoire are AFCON 2023 champions.
When are the next AFCON 2027 qualifying matchdays?
Matchdays 3 and 4 will be played during the FIFA international window from 9-17 November 2026. Matchdays 5 and 6 (the final qualifying rounds) will be played 22-30 March 2027.
Where is AFCON 2027 hosted?
AFCON 2027 (TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027) will be held in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027 — the first time AFCON returns to East Africa in more than five decades.
For our complete AFCON 2027 tournament overview see our dates and schedule guide. For Tanzania’s squad see our Taifa Stars squad article. For Kenya’s squad see our Harambee Stars squad article. Try our AFCON 2027 predictor to simulate the tournament.
Fixtures, kick-off times and venues confirmed by CAF official release on 4 September 2026. Source: cafonline.com. All times shown in GMT — convert to your local time zone using the guide above. This article will be updated with venue details as CAF confirms them and with any fixture rescheduling.