The countdown begins...the opening and final dates for the African Nations 2027

The Confederation of African Football has officially announced the timetable for the 2027 African Cup of Nations, which will be held in a historic edition organized for the first time jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, in a step that reflects the expansion of the tournament geographically and organizationally within the continent.

CAF has set Saturday, June 19, 2027 as the start date for the tournament, with the final match to be held on Saturday, July 17, 2027, noting that the host country will be determined. The opening and final matches will be later coordinated between the three organizing countries.

This edition bears an exceptional character, as it is the first to be held in three countries in the East African region, which enhances the spread of the game on the continent, amid expectations of a huge audience following that may exceed 400 million fans.

Details of the qualifiers and the draw

In the same context, CAF explained that the ceremonies of drawing the qualifying lottery will take place on May 19, 2026, with the participation of 48 teams, including the host countries, after the conclusion of the preliminary round.

The teams will be divided into 12 groups, each group containing 4 teams, with the first and second places from each group qualifying for the finals.

The qualifying matches are scheduled to be held in three international periods, according to the FIFA agenda, as follows:

• The first and second rounds: from September 21 to September 6. October 2026

• The third and fourth rounds: from November 9 to 17, 2026

• The fifth and sixth rounds: from March 22 to 30, 2027