Egypt are the most successful nation in Africa Cup of Nations history — seven titles, more than any other country. Mohamed Salah is 35 in 2027. He has never won AFCON. The tournament in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027 is almost certainly his last realistic chance. That context defines everything about Egypt’s AFCON 2027 campaign — and why the entire Egyptian football world will be watching Group B with an intensity unlike any previous qualifying campaign.
Egypt AFCON 2027 Qualifying — Group B
Egypt have been drawn in Group B of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers alongside Angola, Malawi and South Sudan. Coach Hossam Hassan’s side will compete for one of the group’s two qualification spots. The draw was held on 19 May 2026 at the Egyptian Football Association’s headquarters in 6th of October City, Cairo.
| Team | Strength | Key threat |
|---|---|---|
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | Seven-time champions — overwhelming favourites | Must qualify — any failure would be a national crisis |
| 🇦🇴 Angola | Resurgent — experienced qualifiers | Most dangerous opponent in Group B |
| 🇲🇼 Malawi | Improving — reached AFCON 2023 | Could take points off Egypt away from home |
| 🇸🇸 South Sudan | Weakest in group | Unlikely to challenge top two |
Egypt’s Qualifying Fixtures — Full Schedule
Egypt host Angola on Matchday 1 on September 21, 2026, while Malawi take on South Sudan in the other opening fixture. Egypt’s campaign continues away to South Sudan on October 6 before back-to-back encounters with Malawi in Matchdays 3 and 4 — fixtures that could prove decisive in determining the group leaders.
| Matchday | Window | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD1 | 21 Sep – 6 Oct 2026 | Egypt 🇪🇬 vs Angola 🇦🇴 | Cairo — home |
| MD2 | 21 Sep – 6 Oct 2026 | South Sudan 🇸🇸 vs Egypt 🇪🇬 | Away |
| MD3 | 9 – 17 Nov 2026 | Egypt 🇪🇬 vs Malawi 🇲🇼 | Cairo — home |
| MD4 | 9 – 17 Nov 2026 | Malawi 🇲🇼 vs Egypt 🇪🇬 | Away |
| MD5 | 22 – 30 Mar 2027 | Angola 🇦🇴 vs Egypt 🇪🇬 | Away — decisive |
| MD6 | 22 – 30 Mar 2027 | Egypt 🇪🇬 vs South Sudan 🇸🇸 | Cairo — home |
The away trip to Angola in Matchday 5 is Egypt’s most difficult fixture — Angola are resurgent and have caused upsets in recent AFCON qualifying campaigns. Egypt should qualify comfortably, but the Angola fixtures are the ones to watch.
Why AFCON 2027 Defines Mohamed Salah’s Legacy
Mohamed Salah will be 35 years old during AFCON 2027. He is the greatest Egyptian footballer of his generation — Premier League records, Champions League winner, African Player of the Year multiple times. The one trophy his extraordinary career still lacks is the Africa Cup of Nations.
Egypt came painfully close. They lost the AFCON 2017 final to Cameroon. They lost the AFCON 2021 final to Senegal on penalties — Salah missed a penalty in that shootout. They were eliminated in the semi-finals at AFCON 2025 by Senegal, 1-0, with Salah unable to find the breakthrough against a disciplined defence.
AFCON 2027 in Tanzania is Salah’s last realistic shot. He will not be playing in AFCON 2032 at 39. The weight of that — seven titles as a nation, zero for the greatest player of his era — will follow the squad from the first qualifying match in September 2026 through to the final in July 2027. For Egyptian fans, this is not just another tournament. It is the one.
Egypt’s AFCON Record — Seven Titles, the Most in History
| Year | Host | Egypt’s result |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Sudan 🇸🇩 | 🏆 Champions (1st title) |
| 1959 | United Arab Republic | 🏆 Champions |
| 1986 | Egypt 🇪🇬 | 🏆 Champions |
| 1998 | Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 | 🏆 Champions |
| 2006 | Egypt 🇪🇬 | 🏆 Champions |
| 2008 | Ghana 🇬🇭 | 🏆 Champions |
| 2010 | Angola 🇦🇴 | 🏆 Champions (7th title) |
| 2017 | Gabon 🇬🇦 | Runners-up — lost final to Cameroon |
| 2019 | Egypt 🇪🇬 | Quarter-finals (home tournament) |
| 2021 | Cameroon 🇨🇲 | Runners-up — lost final to Senegal on penalties |
| 2023 | Côte d’Ivoire 🇨🇮 | Round of 16 |
| 2025 | Morocco 🇲🇦 | Semi-finals — lost 0-1 to Senegal |
Egypt have not won AFCON since 2010. Seventeen years. For a nation with seven titles and the greatest African footballer of his generation in his prime years, that wait has been agonising. AFCON 2027 is the redemption attempt.
Key Players for AFCON 2027
| Player | Position | Why they matter |
|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Salah | Forward | The story of the entire tournament for Egypt — 35 years old, last realistic chance at the one trophy he lacks |
| Omar Marmoush | Forward | Breakout season in Europe — adds genuine goal threat alongside Salah, gives Egypt a second forward option at the highest level |
| Mohamed Elneny | Midfielder | Experienced European-based midfielder — tournament pedigree and leadership in the centre of the park |
| Mostafa Mohamed | Forward | Physical striker — gives Hassan a different option when Salah needs rest |
| Ahmed El-Shenawy | Goalkeeper | Dependable between the posts — key in the tight, low-scoring matches that AFCON knockout stages produce |
Egypt’s AFCON 2027 Tournament Prediction
If Egypt qualify — which they should do from Group B — they arrive at AFCON 2027 as one of the six genuine contenders for the title alongside Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire.
The summer calendar works in Egypt’s favour for the first time in years. AFCON 2027 runs June to July — European club seasons are over, Salah arrives fully rested rather than exhausted from a Premier League campaign. East Africa’s neutral ground removes North Africa’s traditional home advantage. Egypt on a summer schedule with Salah at full fitness is a different proposition from the January AFCON editions that cost them in 2021 and 2023.
The case against: Egypt have a structural defensive vulnerability that has cost them in decisive moments. Salah cannot carry the team alone at 35 — he needs Marmoush to be at his best throughout the tournament. And the semi-final wall — Egypt have reached it three times since 2017 and fallen every time — needs to be broken.
Our prediction: Egypt reach the semi-finals. A Salah-inspired run to the final is possible. Winning it requires defensive discipline and Marmoush performing at European club level. See our complete favorites guide and our full predictions article.
For Egyptian Fans Travelling to Tanzania
Getting from Egypt to Tanzania
| Route | Airline | Connection | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo (CAI) → Addis Ababa → Dar es Salaam | Ethiopian Airlines | Addis Ababa | ~8–10 hours total |
| Cairo (CAI) → Nairobi → Dar es Salaam | Kenya Airways | Nairobi | ~8–10 hours total |
| Cairo (CAI) → Doha → Dar es Salaam | Qatar Airways | Doha | ~10–12 hours total |
No direct Cairo to Dar es Salaam service operates. Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa is typically the most reliable and affordable route for Egyptian fans. Book at least 6 months before the tournament — AFCON period fares will be significantly higher.
Visa Requirements
- Tanzania eVisa — required for Egyptian passport holders. Apply at visa.immigration.go.tz — cost $50 USD, processing up to 10 working days. Apply at least 2 months before travel.
- Yellow fever certificate — Egypt is not a yellow fever endemic country so the mandatory yellow card requirement for direct travellers from Egypt does not apply. If transiting through a yellow fever country confirm requirements before travel.
See our complete Tanzania eVisa guide.
Practical Tips for Egyptian Fans in Tanzania
- Language — Swahili and English are Tanzania’s official languages. Arabic is not widely spoken in tourist areas — French is more useful as a backup in hospitality contexts.
- Currency — Tanzania uses the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS), not the Egyptian Pound. Withdraw TZS at Julius Nyerere Airport on arrival. USD is widely accepted at hotels. See our money guide.
- SIM card — buy a Vodacom Tanzania SIM at the airport on arrival. Your Egyptian SIM will work on roaming at significantly higher cost. See our SIM card guide.
- Transport — use Bolt or Uber exclusively. Download the app before arriving in Tanzania. See our safety guide.
- Food — Tanzanian food is excellent and distinctly different from North African cuisine. Spiced rice dishes, fresh Indian Ocean seafood and street grilled meat. Halal options are widely available given Tanzania’s large Muslim population. See our food guide.
Tickets — How Egyptian Fans Can Get Them
- Register at tickets.cafonline.com now — mandatory before any purchase
- Get a Visa card — gives 48-hour presale access before general public
- Buy in Phase 1 Visa presale — Egypt matches will be high demand
- Official sales expected August–October 2026
See our complete ticket buying guide and our ticket prices guide.
For the complete AFCON 2027 qualifying schedule across all groups see our qualifying schedule guide. For the full tournament fixture list see our fixtures page. For all AFCON 2027 stadiums see our stadiums guide.
Group draw confirmed by CAF on 19 May 2026 in Cairo. Qualifying fixture schedule sourced from Egyptian Gazette, KingFut and Sports Village Square, May 2026. Egypt AFCON titles and historical results sourced from CAF official records. Page will be updated as qualifying progresses.