Nigeria Awaits AFCON 2027 Qualifying Draw in Cairo
Three time African champions Nigeria will on Tuesday learn their opponents for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign when the Confederation of African Football conducts the official draw in Cairo, Egypt.
The draw, scheduled to take place at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association, will set the stage for AFCON PAMOJA 2027, a tournament that carries historic significance as the first edition in the competition’s history to be co-hosted by three nations simultaneously.
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are the joint hosts of the finals, which are scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
Nigeria arrive at the draw with a decorated continental pedigree. The Super Eagles have won the Africa Cup of Nations on three occasions, claiming the title in 1980, 1994 and 2013. Most recently, Nigeria finished as runners-up at the 2023 edition and claimed third place at the 2025 tournament, underscoring their continued relevance among Africa’s elite football nations.
A total of 48 teams, including the three co-hosts, will participate in the qualification rounds. CAF has structured the competition into 12 groups of four teams each, with the top two finishers in every group earning automatic passage to the finals.
However, because Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have already secured their places as hosts, only one additional team from each of their respective groups will advance to the tournament.
The qualification matches will be spread across three FIFA international windows between September 2026 and March 2027. According to CAF, Matchdays one and two are scheduled between September 21 and October 6, 2026, while the third and fourth rounds will be played from November 9 to 17, 2026. The concluding qualification fixtures are set for March 22 to 30, 2027.
Beyond competitive football, CAF has positioned the tournament as a landmark development moment for East Africa.
“Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda view AFCON 2027 as a once in a generation opportunity to accelerate infrastructure development, tourism and international investment while showcasing East Africa’s culture and passion for the game on the continental stage,” CAF stated.