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

AFRICA · FOOTBALL · AFCON 2027 GUIDE

Live updates: Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers, matchdays 3 and 4, every story as it happens →

Updated 11 November 2026

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers resume on Thursday 12 November 2026 and run to Tuesday 17 November, with matchday 3 from 12 to 14 November and matchday 4 on 16 and 17 November. The finals run from Saturday 19 June to Saturday 17 July 2027 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and 21 places are still open across 12 groups.

Latest Developments

CAF, the Confederation of African Football, published the kick-off times for matchdays 3 and 4 on Tuesday 3 November, all in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which is five hours ahead of US Eastern time now that clocks have gone back. The first game is Ghana vs Somalia at 10:00 a.m. ET on Thursday 12 November, and the last is Niger vs Morocco at 3:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday 17 November. Our kick-off report lists every game in Eastern time, and our preview of the window explains why Nigeria, three points behind Guinea-Bissau in Group L, is chasing the group’s single open place, because host Tanzania has already qualified.

CAF has not named the opening venue or the stadium for the final of the finals, and we found no US broadcaster announced for them. Our fan guide to the tournament sets out what is known.

In June and July East Africa, where Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda sit, is seven hours ahead of New York, so a 7 p.m. kick-off in Nairobi would be noon Eastern Time, though no finals kick-off times are set. We found no ticket sale dates, prices or sellers announced by CAF for the finals, so wait for its word before booking travel.

DR Congo vs Equatorial Guinea: Score and Return Leg

In the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, DR Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) beat Equatorial Guinea 2-0 at home on Thursday 24 September 2026, on the first matchday of Group E. Chancel Mbemba scored from an early set piece in the 4th minute, and Yoane Wissa added the second in the 72nd, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) match report says.

Equatorial Guinea beat Sierra Leone 1-0 on the second matchday, and DR Congo won 2-1 away at Zimbabwe. That leaves DR Congo top of the group on six points, with a goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded) of +3, and Equatorial Guinea on three.

There is no live score to follow for this pairing today, because the first game is finished. The return leg, Equatorial Guinea’s home game, is on matchday 5 in the 22 to 30 March 2027 window, and the exact date is not yet confirmed.

The next Group E games are on Thursday 12 November, when DR Congo host Sierra Leone at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time and Equatorial Guinea play Zimbabwe. DR Congo and Equatorial Guinea do not meet again until March.

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 president Patrice 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.

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.

• Thursday 12 to Tuesday 17 November 2026: qualifying matchdays 3 (12 to 14 November) and 4 (16 and 17 November), as scheduled by CAF
• 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.

Teams level on points are separated by CAF’s tie-break rules, which look first at the games between the teams concerned. 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 goal difference or by the game between them, and CAF applies its full tie-break 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.

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 Matchday 3: Fixtures and Kick-Off Times

Matchday 3 runs from Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 November 2026, and CAF lists every kick-off in GMT. Subtract five hours for US Eastern time, which is how the times below were converted.

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are already through as hosts, so South Africa vs Kenya, Uganda vs Botswana and Nigeria vs Tanzania decide places for their rivals rather than for the hosts. South Africa vs Kenya at 11:00 a.m. ET on Friday 13 November will be played at Orlando Amstel Arena in Johannesburg, South Africa, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has announced.

Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Matchday 4: Fixtures and Kick-Off Times

Matchday 4 brings the return games on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 November 2026, with CAF times again in GMT. Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia, both on 6 points, play twice within five days, first in Bouaké in Côte d’Ivoire and then in Bakau in Gambia.

Mali and Rwanda, also on 6 points, meet twice as well, first in Bamako and then in Kigali, and Tanzania vs Nigeria on 17 November is one of 12 games across the two matchdays at 8:00 a.m. ET. CAF’s list names no venues except for the Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia and the Mali and Rwanda ties, so check CAF’s match centre before travelling.

No matchday 3 or 4 game has been played yet, so there are no results to report. We will add scores and updated group tables after each matchday.

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, according to the Ghana Football Association.

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

CAF lists beIN SPORTS, a sports television network, among its broadcasters for the qualifiers, including in the United States, and calls it its long-term media rights partner. CAF’s schedule for matchdays 3 and 4 names no broadcaster, so check beIN SPORTS’ 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 100 South African rand (R100) for adults and R40 for children aged 5 to 12 (about US$6 and US$2.40 at a rate of R16.48 per US$1 derived from the European Central Bank reference rates of 20 October). Ticketpro is the seller SAFA names, so avoid unofficial resale listings.

No tickets for the finals in June and July 2027 are on sale, and CAF has not announced a sale date. 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 10 November at 7:21 p.m. ET, bets on Polymarket, in markets on which team finishes top of each qualifying group, gave South Africa 68.5% to win Group D, ahead of Guinea at 27.5%, with about US$21,000 traded. In Group H it priced Tunisia at 47.0% and Uganda at 41.0% (about US$25,000 traded), and in Group L Nigeria at 53.5% and Guinea-Bissau at 45.9% (about US$15,000).

In the AFCON 2027 winner market Morocco stood at 32.5% and Senegal at 18.8%, with about US$22,000 traded in total, so prices can move on small orders. Polymarket is a prediction market where traders bet real money; these prices are bets, not polls.

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, 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’s list of 3 November gives dates and times for every game of matchdays 3 and 4 but names venues only for the Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia and the Mali and Rwanda ties, and SAFA has named Orlando Amstel Arena in Johannesburg for South Africa vs Kenya. Where other sources give different dates, we follow CAF’s list.

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. Its releases say 24 teams will play, and it has published no change to that number.

No US broadcaster is named for matchdays 3 and 4, and the price of the next Arabic-commentary pass on the beIN SPORTS CONNECT app is not published. 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 with results after each matchday.

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.

Related: CAF kick-off times, 12 to 17 November · Tanzania’s AFCON stadium race · Nairobi city guide · Nigeria Super Eagles guide · Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria · South Africa vs Guinea · Kenya vs Eritrea · Ghana vs Gambia · Uganda explained · Tanzania explained

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, the executive body of world football’s governing organisation.

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 when we checked on 8 November.

How many teams are in AFCON 2027?

CAF’s releases, most recently on 23 September, say 24 teams will play, including the three hosts. CAF has published no change to that number.

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?

Matchday 3 is Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 November 2026 and matchday 4 is Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 November, according to CAF. The last two matchdays are from 22 to 30 March 2027.

What time are the AFCON qualifiers on Thursday 12 November?

The first game, Ghana vs Somalia, kicks off at 10:00 a.m. ET (15:00 GMT) on Thursday 12 November, and the last four start at 2:00 p.m. ET (19:00 GMT). South Africa vs Kenya is at 11:00 a.m. ET on Friday 13 November, and the full list is in the tables above.

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. Eight teams have won both games and nine have no 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 has not yet announced those hosts.

How can I watch AFCON qualifiers in the US?

CAF lists beIN SPORTS, a sports television network, as a broadcaster for the qualifiers in the United States, but its schedule for matchdays 3 and 4 names none. We found no US broadcaster announced for the finals in June and July 2027.

When do AFCON 2027 tickets go on sale?

CAF has not announced a ticket sale date for the finals. Buy only through channels that CAF or the host federations name.

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, media rights tender, 21 August 2026 · South African Football Association, 16 October 2026 · South African Football Association, fixture page · Federation of Uganda Football Associations, 29 September 2026 · Ghana Football Association, 16 October 2026 · beIN SPORTS USA, Arabic coverage, 23 September 2026 · European Central Bank, reference rates, 20 October 2026 · CAF, matchdays 3 and 4 fixtures and kick-off times, 3 November 2026 (GMT, read 11 November) · Polymarket, AFCON 2027 winner and group markets, read 10 November 2026

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