AFCON 2027 Guide: Dates, Hosts, Qualifiers and Tickets for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
Key Facts
—Dates — AFCON 2027 runs from 19 June to 17 July 2027, confirmed by CAF after FIFA Council approval in Vancouver.
—Hosts — Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania co-host — the first three-nation AFCON and the first in East Africa since Ethiopia 1976.
—Format — 24 teams, six groups, 52 matches; top two per group plus the four best third-placed teams reach the round of 16.
—Qualifiers — Matchdays 1-2 run 21 September-6 October 2026, matchdays 3-4 on 9-17 November 2026, and matchdays 5-6 on 22-30 March 2027.
—Defending champions — Morocco holds the title after the contested 2025 final against Senegal; the winner in 2027 banks US$10 million.
—Historic shift — 2027 is the last biennial AFCON; from 2028 the tournament moves to a four-year cycle.
AFCON 2027 heads to East Africa from 19 June to 17 July 2027, with Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania staging the first three-nation edition in the tournament’s 70-year history. Qualifying kicks off on 21 September 2026, and the region is racing to finish stadiums and infrastructure. This guide covers dates, hosts, venues, qualification and tickets.
AFCON 2027 dates and tournament format
The 36th Africa Cup of Nations, branded TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027, opens on Saturday 19 June 2027 and ends with the final on Saturday 17 July. CAF confirmed the dates in May 2026 after the FIFA Council approved the window, ending months of speculation about a possible postponement.
The group stage runs 19-30 June, followed by the round of 16 (2-5 July), quarterfinals (7-8 July), semifinals (11-12 July), the third-place playoff (15 July) and the final (17 July). Twenty-four teams play 52 matches in total.
The edition closes an era: from 2028, AFCON becomes a quadrennial tournament, aligning with the global calendar. That makes 2027 the last chance to watch the competition in its traditional two-year rhythm.
The hosts: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
The Pamoja bid made history: never before have three countries jointly hosted AFCON, and East Africa has not staged the tournament since Ethiopia in 1976. All three co-hosts qualify automatically, leaving 21 qualification spots for the rest of the continent.
Kenya’s venues center on Nairobi, with the renovated Kasarani stadium and the new 60,000-seat Talanta Stadium. Tanzania brings Dar es Salaam’s Benjamin Mkapa Stadium plus Arusha and Zanzibar; Uganda hosts in Kampala and Hoima. CAF has yet to confirm which stadium stages the opener and the final.
Preparations carry real weight: Kenya alone has committed KSh 3.9 billion in hosting fees, and the three governments jointly invested roughly US$19 million in infrastructure. CAF monitors stadium works, training facilities and transport networks on a rolling basis.
Qualifying: the road starts 21 September 2026
Forty-eight teams were drawn into twelve groups of four in Cairo on 19 May 2026. The top two in each group qualify; in groups containing a co-host, only one spot is contested since the hosts advance automatically.
Matchdays 1 and 2 run 21 September to 6 October 2026, matchdays 3 and 4 on 9-17 November 2026, and the decisive matchdays 5 and 6 on 22-30 March 2027. The full 24-team lineup is known by the end of March 2027.
The qualifiers double as a form guide. Traditional powers — Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire — are expected through, but the compressed calendar after the 2026 World Cup, where Africa fielded a record ten teams, leaves little recovery time.
Favorites and storylines
Morocco arrives as defending champion, having kept the 2025 title after a contested final in which Senegal’s 1-0 win was overturned on appeal — a storyline that guarantees edge when the two meet again. The hosts add their own: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania all chase a first-ever continental title on home soil.
The women’s game has lifted the tournament’s profile further, with Morocco’s staging of WAFCON 2026 drawing record attention — a wave CAF expects to carry into East Africa.
Tickets, travel and what to plan for
CAF typically opens ticket sales in phases, with the first window expected in early 2027 via its official portal. Prices at recent editions started in the single-digit dollar range for group matches; hospitality and final tickets command multiples of that.
Travel logistics are the edition’s defining challenge: three countries, six host cities and separate aviation systems. Regional carriers connect Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Kampala in under two hours, and East African tourist visas covering all three nations simplify multi-country trips.
June and July are dry season across the region — prime safari season in the Serengeti and Maasai Mara — so combining football with wildlife tourism is the obvious play. Book accommodation early in host cities; capacity outside Nairobi and Dar es Salaam is limited.
Qualifiers: MD1-2: 21 Sep-6 Oct 2026; MD3-4: 9-17 Nov 2026; MD5-6: 22-30 Mar 2027.
Group stage: 19-30 June 2027.
Knockouts: R16 2-5 July; QF 7-8 July; SF 11-12 July; final 17 July 2027.
Hosts: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania — 24 teams, 52 matches, US$10M to the winner.
Tickets: Phased sales via CAF’s official portal, expected early 2027.
Venues for opener and final pending CAF confirmation; verify details before booking travel.
This is reporting, not travel or ticketing advice. Conditions vary by country, venue and individual circumstance. Confirm current schedules and entry rules with official sources before booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is AFCON 2027?
AFCON 2027 runs from Saturday 19 June to Saturday 17 July 2027. CAF confirmed the dates in May 2026 after FIFA Council approval. The group stage ends 30 June, and the knockout rounds run through July to the final on the 17th.
Who hosts AFCON 2027?
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania co-host AFCON 2027 — the first three-nation edition in tournament history and the first in East Africa since Ethiopia 1976. Matches will be played across Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Zanzibar, Kampala and Hoima.
When do AFCON 2027 qualifiers start?
Qualifying begins 21 September 2026. Matchdays 1-2 run to 6 October 2026, matchdays 3-4 on 9-17 November 2026, and the final matchdays on 22-30 March 2027. Forty-eight teams contest 21 spots; the three co-hosts qualify automatically.
Who won the last AFCON?
Morocco is the defending champion after the contested 2025 final, where an appeal overturned Senegal’s 1-0 on-pitch victory. The winner of AFCON 2027 collects US$10 million in prize money.
Is AFCON 2027 the last one every two years?
Yes. CAF announced in December 2025 that AFCON moves to a four-year cycle from 2028, aligning with the international calendar. The 2027 edition in East Africa is the last biennial tournament.
Next in the series
- Morocco Hosts WAFCON 2026, with a Ticket to Brazil at Stake
- Africa’s Record 10 Teams at the 2026 World Cup
- Morocco Hosts an Expanded Women’s AFCON in 2026
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