The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed the schedule for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with the tournament set to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027. For the first time in its history, the competition will be co-hosted by three nations—Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda—marking a significant milestone for African football.
According to CAF, the opening match will take place on June 19, while the final is slated for July 17. The decision on which country will host these two key fixtures is yet to be announced. The governing body noted that the timeline received formal approval from the FIFA Council during a recent meeting held in Vancouver, Canada.
CAF described the joint hosting arrangement as a major opportunity to broaden the tournament’s influence, particularly across East Africa, where it is expected to reach an audience of over 400 million people. The 2027 edition will also mark AFCON’s return to the region for the first time in over five decades, with Ethiopia having last hosted the competition in 1976.
In terms of qualification, CAF revealed that the preliminary stage has already been completed. The draw for the qualifiers is scheduled for May 19, 2026. A total of 48 national teams, including the three host countries, will compete for places in the tournament. These teams will be divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two sides from each group securing qualification.
The qualifiers will be played during three designated FIFA international windows. The first set of matches (Matchdays 1 and 2) will take place between September 21 and October 6, 2026. The next round (Matchdays 3 and 4) is scheduled for November 9 to 17, 2026, while the final set (Matchdays 5 and 6) will be held from March 22 to 30, 2027.
CAF expressed confidence that the 2027 tournament will build on the growing success of recent editions, particularly those hosted in Côte d’Ivoire in 2023 and Morocco in 2025. These tournaments recorded notable increases in sponsorship deals, commercial revenue, and global television audiences, highlighting AFCON’s expanding appeal.
However, recent developments surrounding the last edition of the tournament have stirred controversy. Senegal had initially been celebrated as champions after defeating Morocco in a dramatic final held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. The decisive moment came in stoppage time of extra time, when Papa Gueye scored a late winner following a missed penalty by Morocco’s Brahim Diaz—an incident that had already caused a lengthy delay during the match.
Despite the on-field result, CAF’s Appeals Board later overturned the outcome, ruling that Senegal had forfeited the match after walking off the pitch in protest over a disputed late penalty decision. As a result, the title was awarded to Morocco, a move that has sparked significant debate within the football community.
The Senegalese Football Federation has since rejected the ruling and announced plans to challenge the decision. In an official statement released on March 17, 2026, the federation confirmed it had received CAF’s verdict and would take steps to contest it, signaling that the dispute may not be resolved anytime soon.
As anticipation builds for the 2027 tournament, CAF will be aiming not only to deliver a successful competition across East Africa but also to maintain the integrity and credibility of African football amid ongoing controversies.
