AFCON
AFCON 2027 Draw Throws Up Heavyweight Clashes and Regional Rivalries
By Kunle Solaja.
African football heavyweights were handed a mixture of favourable draws and dangerous rivalries after the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series was unveiled in Cairo on Tuesday ahead of next year’s historic finals in East Africa.
The qualification campaign, which will determine the 24 teams heading to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17 next year, produced several blockbuster groups, regional rivalries and tricky qualification scenarios involving the three co-host nations.
The standout clash emerged in Group C, where defending champions Côte d’Ivoire national football team were paired with arch-rivals Ghana national football team alongside Gambia and Somalia in what many observers immediately identified as the toughest section of the draw.
The rivalry between Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana has produced some of African football’s most memorable contests over the decades, and both countries are expected to engage in another fierce battle for supremacy.
African champions Senegal national football team were drawn in Group J with Mozambique, Sudan and Ethiopia, while 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco national football team headline Group A against Gabon, Niger and Lesotho.
Seven-time African champions Egypt will face Angola, Malawi and South Sudan in Group B, while the Cameroon national football team were handed a potentially awkward Group G containing Comoros, Namibia and Congo.
Comoros, once regarded as minnows, have developed into one of Africa’s fastest-rising football nations following their recent Africa Cup of Nations breakthroughs, making Cameroon’s route less straightforward than it appears on paper.
Group I could also produce intense competition as Algeria national football team takes on Zambia, Togo and Burundi, while Group K, involving Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda and Liberia, appears one of the most evenly balanced sections in the qualifiers.
Nigeria were drawn in Group L with Madagascar, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau, reviving memories of Madagascar’s shock victory over the Super Eagles at the 2019 AFCON finals in Egypt.
However, the qualification format for Groups D, H and L introduces a special dimension because Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are already guaranteed places at the finals as co-hosts.
In those three groups, only the highest-placed team, excluding the co-host nation, will qualify automatically for the tournament.
That arrangement affects Group D, involving Kenya, the South Africa national football team, Guinea and Eritrea; Group H containing Uganda, Tunisia national football team, Libya and Botswana; and Group L featuring Tanzania alongside Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
The qualification campaign will be played across three international windows, beginning from September 21 to October 6 this year. The second round of fixtures will take place from November 9 to 17 before the final series of matches between March 22 and 30 next year.
Each national team will play two matches during every qualifying window.
At the end of the series, the top two teams from each group will normally advance to the finals, except in the three groups involving host nations, where the best-performing side apart from the automatic qualifiers will progress.
The 2027 tournament will mark a landmark moment for African football as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda become the first East African nations to jointly host the continent’s biggest football championship.
The finals are expected to showcase the growing football infrastructure and commercial ambitions of the East African region while also expanding AFCON’s footprint across new territories on the continent.
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Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has praised Morocco’s King Mohammed VI for what he described as a powerful gesture of unity and reconciliation following the royal pardon granted to Senegalese supporters convicted over offences linked to the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In a statement released on Saturday, Motsepe expressed deep appreciation on behalf of CAF’s 54 member associations, hailing the Moroccan monarch’s decision as a demonstration of football’s ability to foster peace and solidarity across the continent.
“I would like to express our deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, for granting His Royal Pardon to the Senegalese supporters convicted of offences relating to the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025,” Motsepe stated.
The CAF president said the pardon reflected Morocco’s enduring commitment to African unity and highlighted football’s growing role as a bridge between nations and cultures.
“CAF has consistently emphasised its commitment to utilise football to contribute to uniting our people from different racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds,” he said.
“The pardon by His Majesty King Mohammed VI is an uplifting and motivating illustration of the power of football to unite and bring our people together in Africa and worldwide.”
Motsepe also revealed that during recent visits to both Morocco and Senegal, he had been struck by the deep historical and cultural bonds shared by the two countries.
“I was amazed and impressed when I was briefed about the historic and extensive ties between the people of Senegal and Morocco,” he added.
The statement further reinforced Morocco’s rising influence within African football, especially after successfully hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and positioning itself as one of Africa’s leading football destinations ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Motsepe also extended CAF’s best wishes to Africa’s representatives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing confidence that the continent’s teams would perform strongly on the global stage.
Among the African nations mentioned were Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Former African champions Algeria and Zambia are set for an early showdown after the release of the Group I fixtures for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Algeria host Zambia on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, in what is expected to be one of the headline fixtures of the qualifying campaign, while Togo entertain Burundi in the group’s other opening tie.
The Desert Foxes are favourites to qualify, but Zambia’s growing consistency and Togo’s unpredictability could make the race highly competitive.
Algeria travel to Burundi on Matchday Two before facing Togo in back-to-back encounters across Matchdays Three and Four. Zambia also meet Burundi home and away during the same period.
The potentially decisive fixture comes on March 22, 2027, when Zambia host Algeria in a clash that could determine the final standings.
Group I Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Algeria vs Zambia
- Togo vs Burundi
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Zambia vs Togo
- Burundi vs Algeria
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Algeria vs Togo
- Zambia vs Burundi
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Togo vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Zambia
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Zambia vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Togo
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Togo vs Zambia
- Algeria vs Burundi
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By Kunle Solaja.
African heavyweights Senegal will launch their quest for another Africa Cup of Nations appearance with a home clash against Mozambique in Group J of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Lions of Teranga, among the continent’s strongest teams in recent years, headline a group that also includes Sudan and Ethiopia.
Senegal host Mozambique on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, while Sudan tackle Ethiopia in the other opening encounter.
Senegal are strong favourites to dominate the group, but Sudan and Mozambique are expected to battle fiercely for qualification points.
The key fixtures may emerge in the double-header between Senegal and Sudan across Matchdays Three and Four, while Mozambique and Ethiopia also face each other home and away.
Senegal travel to Mozambique on Matchday Five before ending their campaign at home against Ethiopia on March 30, 2027.
Group J Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Senegal vs Mozambique
- Sudan vs Ethiopia
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Mozambique vs Sudan
- Ethiopia vs Senegal
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Senegal vs Sudan
- Mozambique vs Ethiopia
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Sudan vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Mozambique
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Mozambique vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Sudan
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Sudan vs Mozambique
- Senegal vs Ethiopia
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