Africa Cup of Nations 2027 Fan Guide

EAST AFRICA · FOOTBALL

The Africa Cup of Nations 2027 opens on Saturday 19 June 2027 and ends with the final on Saturday 17 July 2027. It is the first time the continent’s biggest football tournament is shared by three countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Tickets, stadiums and match times for the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 are not yet published. This guide shows what the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the organiser, has confirmed, and what to wait for.

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Why the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 Matters to US Readers

The Africa Cup of Nations 2027 is the main football championship for African national teams, and CAF expects it to be the 36th edition. CAF, the body that runs football in Africa, says 24 teams will play in the finals.

For a US fan this is a rare chance to see African stars in one place over four weeks. Many play for clubs in Europe, and the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 falls in the northern summer, outside the club season.

The three hosts are Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, which are neighbors in East Africa. Fans may move between the three countries during the tournament, though CAF has not yet said which cities host which matches.

The Africa Cup of Nations 2027 opening match falls on Saturday 19 June 2027, which is Juneteenth. The final on Saturday 17 July 2027 is a weekend date as well, which helps travelers who cannot take long leave.

In Plain English

CAF is the Confederation of African Football, the continental governing body that owns the tournament and sets the schedule. Its official name for the 2027 edition is PAMOJA, a Swahili word for “together”, which refers to the shared hosting.

A qualifying group is a mini-league of four national teams, and the best teams advance to the finals. The three hosts are already in the finals, but they still play in the qualifying groups.

Dates and Times in East Africa and US Eastern

For the Africa Cup of Nations 2027, CAF has confirmed the opening on Saturday 19 June 2027 and the final on Saturday 17 July 2027. Other match days, kick-off times and venues have not been published.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda all use East Africa Time, which is three hours ahead of UTC all year. In June and July New York is on daylight time, four hours behind UTC, so East Africa is seven hours ahead of US Eastern.

That means a 4 p.m. kick-off in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam or Kampala is 9 a.m. Eastern, and a 7 p.m. kick-off is noon Eastern. West Coast fans would start at 6 a.m. Pacific for the earlier game and 9 a.m. for the later one.

Treat these examples as a guide to the arithmetic only, because CAF has not set any kick-off time. Do not book flights around a match until CAF publishes the full schedule.

How the 24 Teams Are Decided

For the Africa Cup of Nations 2027, 48 teams, including the three hosts, are in 12 qualifying groups of four. Most groups send their top two teams to the finals, but a group with a host sends only its best non-host team.

Matchdays 1 and 2 ran from 21 September to 6 October 2026, and matchdays 3 and 4 follow from 9 to 17 November 2026. Our guide to the <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/afcon-2027-qualifiers-resume-november-11/”>resumption of the qualifiers on 11 November</a> covers the next round.

Matchdays 5 and 6 follow from 22 to 30 March 2027, and CAF expects the full line-up of 24 teams by the end of March. Until then, big names such as Nigeria, Egypt, Senegal and Morocco are not guaranteed a place.

The final draw, which sets the groups for the finals, comes only after the line-up is known. CAF has not announced the date or the city of the draw.

Tickets: What Is Known

CAF says ticket prices, sales dates and sales channels will be released later by CAF and the local organizers. No official seller is named yet, so any site selling tickets today is not confirmed by CAF.

Watch only CAF’s official site and the three national football federations for the sale announcement. Pay by card where possible, and never send money to a social media seller or a person who offers a ticket in a private message.

CAF has not said how the 2027 sales will work, whether by match, by stadium or by ticket category. Do not rely on a pattern from earlier tournaments.

Demand for the opening match and the final is likely to be high. A fan who wants the final should book flexible flights and a hotel with free cancellation until the tickets are in hand.

Where the Matches Will Be Played

CAF has not confirmed the host cities or the stadiums. The three countries are building and renovating grounds, and our report on <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/afcon-2027-tanzania-stadium-progress-venues-2026/”>Tanzania’s stadium progress</a> shows one host’s work.

The largest cities in the host countries are Nairobi in Kenya, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Kampala in Uganda. They are the likeliest bases for visitors, but no city is confirmed as a host until CAF says so.

Because the three countries are joint hosts, a team may travel between countries from one match to the next. Fans who follow a single team should wait for the final draw before booking a base city.

Entry Rules and Safety for US Visitors

Each host sets its own entry rules, and a US citizen needs a separate visa or permit check for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Check each country’s official immigration site before you book, because rules and fees change and CAF does not cover them.

For Kenya the US State Department advises “Exercise increased caution”, and it lists the border counties with Somalia as Level 4, “Do Not Travel”. It also lists the Nairobi districts of Eastleigh and Kibera as Level 3 for crime and kidnapping.

For Tanzania the State Department advisory is Level 3, “Reconsider Travel”, raised from Level 2 on 31 October 2025, and it adds an unrest warning. It says authorities may limit or ban large gatherings, and demonstrations sometimes break out around large events.

Read the current State Department page for each country in the week before you travel, because advisories can change before June. Use registered taxis or hotel cars after dark, and avoid political demonstrations near stadiums.

How to Watch in the United States

No US broadcaster or streaming service is announced for the Africa Cup of Nations 2027, and CAF has not published a US rights list. Check CAF’s official channels and your usual sports service in spring 2027, once the schedule is out.

The kick-off arithmetic above shows that most matches will be morning or midday games on the US East Coast. Whether live games will be available in the United States at all is not confirmed.

What It Means for You

If you plan to attend the Africa Cup of Nations 2027, wait for the draw and the ticket announcement before you book flights. The only fixed dates are 19 June and 17 July 2027, so keep those weeks free and watch for news.

To follow the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 from home, note the qualifiers on 9 to 17 November 2026 and 22 to 30 March 2027. The March games decide who joins the three hosts.

If you want a safari too, book lodges early. A major football tournament will raise demand for hotels in the host cities.

What Is Not Known

For the Africa Cup of Nations 2027, CAF has not confirmed the host cities, the stadiums, the match schedule or the kick-off times. It has also not announced ticket prices, sales dates, official sellers or the date and place of the final draw.

The US broadcaster is not announced, and the 36th-edition numbering is described by CAF as expected. Twenty-one of the 24 finalists are still to be decided in the qualifiers, and we will update this guide when CAF publishes the schedule.

More East Africa Sport

Our guide to the <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/safari-rally-kenya-2027-naivasha-18-march/”>Safari Rally Kenya in Naivasha on 18 March 2027</a> covers another big Kenyan sports date. Both events suit a trip that adds a safari.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Africa Cup of Nations 2027?

The opening match is on Saturday 19 June 2027 and the final is on Saturday 17 July 2027. CAF has not published the dates in between.

Which countries host the Africa Cup of Nations 2027?

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda host it jointly, the first time three countries share the tournament. The stadiums and host cities are not yet confirmed.

How can I buy tickets for the Africa Cup of Nations 2027?

Ticket sales have not opened, and CAF has named no seller or prices. Watch CAF’s official site and the three national federations, and avoid unofficial sellers.

How can I watch the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 in the US?

No US broadcaster is announced yet. East Africa is seven hours ahead of New York, so a 7 p.m. kick-off there is noon Eastern.

Sources: CAF, Everything you need to know about the CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 (dates, hosts, qualifying, what is unconfirmed), 17 June 2026; re-read 1 November 2026; US State Department, Kenya travel advisory, accessed 1 November 2026; US State Department, Tanzania travel advisory (Level 3, 31 October 2025), accessed 1 November 2026.

Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error