Africa Analysis

Africa Cup of Nations 2027 Qualifiers: Standings, Dates, TV

By Samuel Ncube · September 11, 2026 · 18 min read

AFRICA · FOOTBALL · AFCON 2027 GUIDE

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Updated 21 October 2026

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations runs from Saturday 19 June to Saturday 17 July 2027 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and its qualifiers resume with matchdays 3 and 4 between 9 and 17 November 2026. Twelve groups of four are still open for 21 finals places, and Ghana and Nigeria are under early pressure.

Key Facts

Tournament: Saturday 19 June to Saturday 17 July 2027 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, the first with three hosts
Qualifying: 48 teams in 12 groups of four; only the three hosts have qualified so far (21 October)
Next qualifiers: Matchdays 3 and 4 from 9 to 17 November; South Africa vs Kenya on 13 November, 11:00 a.m. ET
US TV: beIN SPORTS is the listed US broadcaster; its November match list is not published (21 October)
Prediction markets: Polymarket gives Morocco about a 34% chance of winning AFCON 2027 and Senegal about 26% (21 October, 2:40 a.m. ET)

In plain English

AFCON is short for the Africa Cup of Nations, the tournament of Africa’s national teams, run by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the governing body of football on the continent. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are already in as hosts, and 48 teams, the hosts among them, play home-and-away qualifying groups for the other 21 places at the 24-team finals.

Africa Cup of Nations 2027: Dates, Hosts and Opening Match

The Confederation of African Football (CAF), the governing body of football on the continent, announced the AFCON 2027 dates on 2 May 2026, with the opening match on Saturday 19 June 2027 and the final on Saturday 17 July 2027. The event is branded the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027, from the Swahili word for together.

It is the first Africa Cup of Nations hosted by three countries, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and the first in East Africa since Ethiopia hosted it in 1976. CAF has said it will announce the country that stages the opening match and the final in due course.

CAF’s tournament guide of 17 June says the stadiums and host cities are yet to be officially confirmed, and CAF had not published a stadium list by 21 October. During CAF president Patrice Motsepe’s September tour, President William Ruto said CAF had commended the work on Talanta Sports City Stadium in Nairobi, while Kasarani is being upgraded, according to Kenya’s The Star.

Motsepe said in Tanzania on 17 September that there is no Plan B and no Plan C for the tournament. He also said some preparations are behind schedule and that he will return in January 2027 for a final assessment.

The interior of the Moi International Sports Centre at Kasarani in Nairobi, with its stands and running track — Kasarani stadium in Nairobi, which is being upgraded, according to Kenya’s The Star. Photo: Endesia94, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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Key Africa Cup of Nations Dates From November 2026 to the Final

The list below runs from the next qualifying window to the final. Items marked as not announced are still open.

9 to 17 November 2026: qualifying matchdays 3 and 4; the earliest listed date we found is Wednesday 11 November
22 to 30 March 2027: qualifying matchdays 5 and 6, which settle the last places
Not announced: the date of the finals draw
Saturday 19 June 2027: opening match, host country not announced
Saturday 17 July 2027: final, host country not announced

How the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Work

CAF drew 48 teams into 12 groups of four in Cairo on 19 May 2026, and every team plays the other three home and away over six matchdays. A win earns three points and a draw one, and the games are played in three FIFA windows, which are periods reserved for national-team football: September and October 2026, November 2026 and March 2027.

The top two in each group qualify, except in Groups D, H and L, where the hosts Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are already through. In those three groups only the highest-placed team outside the host qualifies, so nine groups send two teams and three send one, which makes 21 places on top of the three hosts.

Under CAF’s AFCON regulations, teams level on points are separated first by the points, goal difference and away goals in the games between them, then by goal difference and goals scored in all group games. The finals themselves use six groups of four, and the top two plus the four best third-placed teams move into a round of 16.

Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers: Standings After Two Matchdays

Every team has played two games, and the tables below follow the results CAF reported through the end of matchday 2 on Tuesday 6 October. Points come first in each line, with goal difference in brackets.

In the tables below, teams level on points are listed by the games between them where that settles it, otherwise by goal difference and then goals scored, because CAF applies its full tie-break, including away goals in those games, only at the end of the group. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are already through as hosts, so in their groups the race is for one place among the other three teams.

Group A

Points (goal difference): Morocco 6 (+4), Gabon 3 (0), Niger 3 (−1), Lesotho 0 (−3)

Next: Morocco vs Niger and Gabon vs Lesotho; dates not published.

Race: Morocco have won both games without conceding. Gabon and Niger, both on 3 points, are the nearest chasers.

Group B

Points (goal difference): Egypt 4 (+5), Angola 4 (+2), Malawi 3 (−1), South Sudan 0 (−6)

Next: Egypt vs Malawi and Angola vs South Sudan, then the return games; dates not published.

Race: Egypt and Angola are unbeaten and level on 4 points. Malawi are a point behind and play Egypt in both November games.

Group C

Points (goal difference): Côte d’Ivoire 6 (+4), Gambia 6 (+3), Somalia 0 (−3), Ghana 0 (−4)

Next: Côte d’Ivoire vs Gambia and Ghana vs Somalia; dates not published.

Race: Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia have won both games and meet in November. Ghana and Somalia have no points.

Group D

Points (goal difference): South Africa 6 (+6), Guinea 3 (0), Kenya (host) 1 (−1), Eritrea 1 (−5)

Next: South Africa vs Kenya, Friday 13 November, 11:00 a.m. ET (18:00 local), Orlando Amstel Arena, Johannesburg; Guinea vs Eritrea, date not published. Kenya vs South Africa is set for Tuesday 17 November in Nairobi, kick-off time and stadium not confirmed.

Race: Kenya are through as hosts, so one place goes to the best of South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea. South Africa lead Guinea by three points.

Group E

Points (goal difference): DR Congo 6 (+3), Zimbabwe 3 (0), Equatorial Guinea 3 (−1), Sierra Leone 0 (−2)

Next: DR Congo vs Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea vs Zimbabwe; dates not published.

Race: DR Congo have won both games and lead by three points. Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea are level on 3.

Group F

Points (goal difference): Benin 4 (+1), Burkina Faso 4 (+1), Mauritania 3 (+1), Central African Republic 0 (−3)

Next: Benin vs Central African Republic and Burkina Faso vs Mauritania; dates not published.

Race: Benin, Burkina Faso and Mauritania are separated by a point. Central African Republic have no points.

Group G

Points (goal difference): Cameroon 4 (+2), Comoros 3 (−1), Namibia 3 (0), Congo 1 (−1)

Next: Cameroon vs Namibia and Comoros vs Congo, listed for Wednesday 11 November; kick-off times and venues not published.

Race: Cameroon lead by a point from Comoros and Namibia. Congo are two points behind them.

Group H

Points (goal difference): Uganda (host) 4 (+1), Botswana 2 (0), Tunisia 2 (0), Libya 1 (−1)

Next: Uganda vs Botswana, Wednesday 11 November in Hoima, and Tunisia vs Libya; Botswana vs Uganda in Gaborone follows within days. Kick-off times not published.

Race: Uganda are through as hosts, so one place goes to the best of Botswana, Tunisia and Libya. The three are separated by one point.

Group I

Points (goal difference): Algeria 4 (+2), Zambia 3 (0), Togo 3 (−1), Burundi 1 (−1)

Next: Algeria vs Togo, Saturday 14 November, Tizi-Ouzou; Zambia vs Burundi, date not published. Togo vs Algeria follows on Tuesday 17 November in Lomé; kick-off times not confirmed.

Race: Algeria are unbeaten but dropped points in Burundi. Zambia and Togo, on 3 points, are the nearest chasers.

Group J

Points (goal difference): Mozambique 4 (+3), Senegal 4 (+1), Sudan 3 (−2), Ethiopia 0 (−2)

Next: Mozambique vs Ethiopia and Senegal vs Sudan; dates not published.

Race: Mozambique and Senegal drew with each other and are level on 4 points. Sudan are a point behind them.

Group K

Points (goal difference): Rwanda 6 (+3), Mali 6 (+3), Cape Verde 0 (−3), Liberia 0 (−3)

Next: Mali vs Rwanda and Cape Verde vs Liberia; dates not published.

Race: Rwanda and Mali have won both games and meet in November. Cape Verde and Liberia have no points.

Group L

Points (goal difference): Guinea-Bissau 6 (+5), Nigeria 3 (−2), Madagascar 1 (−1), Tanzania (host) 1 (−2)

Next: Nigeria vs Tanzania (Lagos under consideration, awaiting CAF approval) and Madagascar vs Guinea-Bissau, then the return games; dates and kick-off times not confirmed.

Race: Tanzania are through as hosts, so one place goes to the best of Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria and Madagascar. Guinea-Bissau lead Nigeria by three points.

Eight teams have won both games: Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, South Africa, DR Congo, Rwanda, Mali and Guinea-Bissau. Nine teams have no points: Lesotho, South Sudan, Somalia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Cape Verde, Liberia and Ethiopia.

Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers in November: Fixtures, Kick-Off Times and Venues

CAF’s news pages carried no release with the full matchday 3 and 4 schedule by 21 October, although federations have begun announcing their own games within the window of 9 to 17 November 2026. The earliest listed date we found is Wednesday 11 November, and the pairings announced so far are back-to-back home-and-away games.

The Ugandan federation cites 11 and 15 November for its two games against Botswana, but South Africa, Algeria and Togo have set other dates, so check each fixture. These are the games with a date from CAF or a federation as of 21 October:

Group D: South Africa vs Kenya, Friday 13 November, 11:00 a.m. ET (18:00 local) at Orlando Amstel Arena in Johannesburg, announced by the South African Football Association (SAFA); Kenya vs South Africa, Tuesday 17 November in Nairobi, kick-off time and stadium not confirmed.
Group I: Algeria vs Togo, Saturday 14 November, at Stade Hocine Aït Ahmed in Tizi-Ouzou; Togo vs Algeria, Tuesday 17 November, at Stade Kégué in Lomé, as reported from the Algerian federation, with kick-off times (20:00 and 17:00 were reported, time zone not stated) still to be confirmed.
Group G: Cameroon vs Namibia and Comoros vs Congo, Wednesday 11 November, listed by CAF; times and venues not published.
Group H: Uganda vs Botswana, Wednesday 11 November in Hoima, kick-off time not published; the return in Gaborone follows within days, and the sources differ on the exact date.
Group L: Nigeria vs Tanzania in Nigeria, with Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos under consideration and CAF approval not yet given, and the return reported for Zanzibar; dates not confirmed.
Group B: Angola play South Sudan, and Malawi play Egypt, home and away in November; dates not published.

US clocks went back on Sunday 1 November, so these games fall in Eastern Standard Time, five hours behind GMT. South Africa is two hours ahead of GMT, so 18:00 in Johannesburg is 11:00 a.m. ET.

Who Has Qualified for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and Who Needs What

Only the three hosts, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, have qualified, and no other team has clinched a place. Each team has four games left, two in the November window and two in March 2027.

In the nine groups without a host, Morocco, DR Congo, Cameroon and Algeria lead alone, while Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Mozambique and Rwanda share the top spot with a rival. In the host groups South Africa and Guinea-Bissau lead the race for the single place, and Botswana and Tunisia are level in Group H.

Nigeria trail Guinea-Bissau by three points in the race for the single open place in Group L, and November brings Tanzania for Nigeria and Madagascar for Guinea-Bissau. Ghana have lost both games and will be led by an interim technical team in November, after the Ghana Football Association said on 16 October that its search for a head coach continues.

How to Watch the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers in the US

CAF names beIN SPORTS as its broadcaster for the qualifiers in the United States and calls it CAF’s long-term media rights partner. beIN SPORTS had not published a November listing on its AFCON qualifiers page on 21 October, so check its TV guide in the week of the games.

Arabic-language coverage of selected qualifiers is sold only on the beIN SPORTS CONNECT app, which charged US$1.99 per match and US$19.99 for a matchday 1 and 2 pass in September. We found no price or pass yet for matchdays 3 and 4.

African afternoon kick-offs land in the US morning or early afternoon, for example 11:00 a.m. Eastern time (ET) for South Africa vs Kenya on 13 November. US rights for the finals in June and July 2027 have not been announced, and CAF’s August media tender covered Sub-Saharan Africa only.

Tickets and Travel for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations

SAFA says tickets for South Africa vs Kenya on 13 November are on sale through the ticket seller Ticketpro, at R100 for adults and R40 for children aged 5 to 12 (about US$6 and US$2.40 at the European Central Bank reference rate of 20 October, R16.48 per US$1). Gates open at 15:00 local time, and a child ticket cannot be bought without an adult ticket.

No tickets for the finals in June and July 2027 are on sale, and CAF has not announced a sale date, although in September it invited bids from companies to run ticketing and venue access. Buy only through channels named by CAF or the host federations, because resale listings that appear before an official sale may be fake.

CAF has not named host cities, so avoid non-refundable bookings in Nairobi, Kampala or Dar es Salaam until it does. Check the State Department’s travel advisories and the entry rules for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania before you book.

What Prediction Markets Say

On 21 October at 2:40 a.m. ET, bets on Polymarket gave Morocco about a 34% chance of winning AFCON 2027 and Senegal about 26%, followed by Côte d’Ivoire at 11% and Egypt at 7%. The winner market has traded about US$17,600 in total, so prices can move on small orders.

Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.

What It Means for You

Nine of Africa’s ten teams at the 2026 World Cup reached the round of 32, according to CAF, so the qualifiers feature many of the sides US fans saw this summer. Plan around Eastern time, because most African kick-offs fall in the US morning or early afternoon.

For travel or sponsorship planning, treat the dates of the finals as firm and the venues as open. CAF has confirmed the dates but not the stadiums, the host cities or the finals draw.

What Is Not Confirmed Yet

CAF had not published a release with the kick-off times and venues for matchdays 3 and 4 by 21 October, and most games have no date beyond the window of 9 to 17 November. The venue of Nigeria’s home game against Tanzania, with Lagos under consideration, still awaits CAF approval, according to Nigerian media.

CAF has not named the stadiums, the host cities, the country for the opening match and the final, or the date of the finals draw. CAF’s releases say 24 teams will play, and Morocco World News reported on 23 July that Motsepe announced a rise to 28, a change CAF has not published.

beIN SPORTS has not published its November schedule, the language options for each game or a price for the next Arabic-commentary pass. US rights for the finals and the date of the ticket sale are also open.

Dates and times can still change, so check CAF’s match centre in the week of the games. We will update this guide as soon as CAF publishes the schedule.

More: Kenya news in English, Uganda news and Tanzania news, every day from The Rio Times.

The big picture: Kenya explained — economy, politics, society and daily life in one read.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is AFCON 2027?

AFCON 2027 runs from Saturday 19 June to Saturday 17 July 2027, with the opening match on 19 June and the final on 17 July. CAF announced the dates on 2 May 2026 after approval by the FIFA Council.

Which month will AFCON 2027 start?

The tournament starts in June 2027, with the opening match on Saturday 19 June. It ends in July with the final on Saturday 17 July.

Where will the AFCON 2027 final be held?

CAF has not said which country will stage the final. It has promised to name the hosts of the opening match and the final in due course.

Who will host AFCON in 2027?

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will host together, the first time three countries share the tournament. CAF had not published the stadium list or the host cities by 21 October.

How many teams are in AFCON 2027?

CAF’s releases, most recently on 23 September, say 24 teams will play, including the three hosts. Morocco World News reported in July that CAF president Patrice Motsepe announced a rise to 28, but CAF has not published a change.

How do AFCON 2027 qualifiers work?

Forty-eight teams play in 12 groups of four, home and away over six matchdays, and the top two in each group qualify. In the groups of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania only the best team outside the host qualifies, because the hosts are already in.

When are the next AFCON 2027 qualifiers?

Matchdays 3 and 4 fall in the FIFA window of 9 to 17 November 2026, and the last two matchdays are from 22 to 30 March 2027. The earliest date listed so far is Wednesday 11 November.

What time are the AFCON qualifiers in November in Eastern time?

South Africa vs Kenya kicks off at 11:00 a.m. ET on Friday 13 November. Algeria vs Togo on Saturday 14 November and Togo vs Algeria on Tuesday 17 November have no confirmed kick-off times, and no other times had been published by 21 October.

Who has qualified for AFCON 2027?

Only Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, the three hosts, have qualified so far. The other 21 places will be decided by the end of the qualifiers in March 2027.

What is the qualifying table for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations?

After two matchdays Morocco, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, DR Congo, Benin, Cameroon, Uganda, Algeria, Mozambique, Rwanda and Guinea-Bissau top their groups, and five of them share the top with a rival on points.

Is there AFCON in 2027 and 2028?

Yes, AFCON is played in 2027 from 19 June to 17 July, and CAF has invited bids to host the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions. CAF said on 22 July that announcements on those hosts would follow in due course.

How can I watch AFCON qualifiers in the US?

CAF names beIN SPORTS as the US broadcaster for the qualifiers, and Arabic commentary on selected games is on the beIN SPORTS CONNECT app. That cost US$1.99 per match in September, and beIN had not published its November schedule by 21 October.

When do AFCON 2027 tickets go on sale?

CAF has not announced a ticket sale date for the finals. In September it invited bids from companies to run ticketing and venue access.

Sources: CAF, tournament and qualifier dates, 2 May 2026 · CAF, qualifying draw and rules, 19 May 2026 · CAF, tournament guide, 17 June 2026 · CAF, competition calendar 2026 to 2030 · CAF, AFCON regulations (adopted 18 November 2023) · CAF, matchday 1 and 2 fixtures, 4 September 2026 · CAF, where to watch, 23 September 2026 · CAF, group-by-group after matchday 1, 26 September 2026 · CAF, matchday 1 results, 28 September 2026 · CAF, group-by-group after matchday 2, 2 October 2026 · CAF, Angola vs Malawi, 6 October 2026 · CAF, president’s announcements, 22 July 2026 · CAF, 2028, 2032 and 2036 bids, 3 July 2026 · CAF, media rights tender, 21 August 2026 · CAF, supplier tenders, 4 September 2026 · South African Football Association, 16 October 2026 · South African Football Association, fixture page · Fennec Football on the Algerian federation, 8 October 2026 · Federation of Uganda Football Associations, 29 September 2026 · Kawowo, 30 September 2026 · Ghana Football Association, 16 October 2026 · The Star (Kenya), 18 September 2026 · Soccernet.ng, 12 October 2026 · PM News, 12 October 2026 · Morocco World News, 23 July 2026 · beIN SPORTS USA, Arabic coverage, 23 September 2026 · European Central Bank, reference rates, 20 October 2026 · Polymarket, AFCON 2027 Winner market, read 21 October 2026

The Big Picture

Africa: The New Scramble — why the world’s powers are competing for the continent

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief

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