Key Facts
- What. Matchdays 3 and 4 of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations run from Nov. 12 to Nov. 17, 2026.
- First kick-off. Ghana v Somalia, Thursday, Nov. 12, 10 a.m. ET (15:00 GMT), with games through Tuesday, Nov. 17.
- Watch. Côte d'Ivoire v Gambia, Mali v Rwanda and Morocco v Niger, all home-and-away over the two rounds.
- Stakes. Co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are in; the finals run June 19 to July 17, 2027.
- Prediction markets. Polymarket, Nov. 9, 4:22 p.m. ET: Morocco 32.5% to win the tournament; Nigeria 54.5% to win Group L.
This story is part of our coverage of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
Latest: Africa Cup Qualifiers Return on Nov. 12
Schedule and Stakes
Our AFCON 2027 qualifiers hub follows the race. Qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, the continental men's football championship run by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), resumes on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, with Ghana against Somalia at 10 a.m. ET.
Matchdays 3 and 4 run through Tuesday, Nov. 17, with all times set by CAF in GMT.The finals will be staged in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027, and those three co-hosts qualify automatically.
In any group that includes a co-host, only the highest-placed other team advances to the finals. In the remaining nine groups, the top two teams qualify.
CAF says the two rounds will take the group phase beyond the halfway point, with several sections still tightly contested.
Group Leaders Meet Head-On
Côte d'Ivoire and Gambia, both on six points in Group C after two rounds, meet in Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire, on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m. ET before the return match in Bakau, Gambia, on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 11 a.m. ET. Mali and Rwanda, also on six points each in Group K, play in Bamako on Friday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m. ET and in Kigali on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 2 p.m. ET.
Morocco, which CAF describes as having made a perfect start in Group A, face Niger on Friday, Nov. 13, at 3 p.m. ET and again on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 3 p.m. ET. In Group J, Senegal and Mozambique lead on four points each with Sudan one point behind, and Senegal play Sudan on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m. ET.
Pressure on Ghana and Nigeria
Ghana, without a point after two matches, play Somalia on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 10 a.m. ET and on Monday, Nov. 16, at 10 a.m. ET. Ghana lost 4-2 at home to Gambia on Sept. 29 after leading 2-0.
Coach Carlos Queiroz left the post on Oct. 1. Nigeria are second in Group L with three points, behind Guinea-Bissau on six, after a 3-0 defeat in Guinea-Bissau in late September.
They face co-host Tanzania on Friday, Nov. 13, at 11 a.m. ET and on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 8 a.m. ET.
Other Matches to Watch
South Africa, who have taken maximum points in Group D, meet co-host Kenya on Friday, Nov. 13, at 11 a.m. ET. The reverse fixture follows on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 11 a.m. ET.
Egypt and Angola are level on four points in Group B, with Malawi on three, and Egypt play Malawi on Friday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m. ET. DR Congo, with a perfect record in Group E, face Sierra Leone on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 11 a.m. ET.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket, a US-based prediction market, Morocco is priced at 32.5% to win the 2027 tournament, ahead of Senegal at 18.7% and South Africa at 9.7%, with about US$21,600 traded. In Group L, Nigeria is at 54.5% and Guinea-Bissau at 42.3%, with about US$15,200 traded; South Africa is at 66.5% to win Group D. Prices were read on Nov. 9 at 4:22 p.m. ET.
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.
These are thinly traded bets, not forecasts, and prices can swing on one large order.
What It Means for US Readers
Eastern Time is five hours behind GMT now that US daylight saving time has ended, so the earliest games start at 8 a.m. ET and the latest at 3 p.m. ET. CAF publishes fixtures and match reports at CAFonline.com.
We found no confirmed US broadcaster or streaming rights holder for the qualifiers, so US fans should check CAF's site before each match day.
What Is Not Known
CAF names only four stadium locations: Bouaké, Bakau, Bamako and Kigali. The venues for the other matches are not confirmed.
Some listings give Matchday 3 as Nov. 11 and Matchday 4 as Nov. 15, but CAF's own schedule says Nov. 12 to Nov. 17. We follow CAF.
Squad and injury news is thin, and no standings have been published since Matchday 2. The dates of the final two rounds in March 2027 are unconfirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the AFCON 2027 qualifiers resume?
Matchday 3 begins on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, with Ghana v Somalia at 10 a.m. ET. Matchday 4 follows on Monday, Nov. 16, and Tuesday, Nov. 17.
Which teams have already qualified for the 2027 finals?
Co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda qualify automatically. The other 21 places are decided in the group stage.
What time are the games in the United States?
Kick-offs run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET. The earliest is Tanzania v Nigeria on Nov. 17, and the latest are Morocco's games with Niger.
Where can US readers watch?
We found no confirmed US broadcaster or streaming rights holder. CAFonline.com lists fixtures and reports.
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