The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced that the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, will take place from June 19 to July 17, 2027. The tournament schedule forms part of CAF’s broader roadmap, which outlines key dates, the qualification format, and the significance of the upcoming competition—set to be the first AFCON finals hosted in East Africa in over five decades. ALSO READ : AFCON expands to 28 teams in major CAF reform According to CAF, the opening match will be played on June 19, while the final is scheduled for July 17. The dates were approved by the FIFA Council during its 73rd Congress in Vancouver, Canada. CAF also confirmed that the host venues for both the opening match and the final will be announced at a later stage. Branded “PAMOJA”—meaning “together” in Swahili—AFCON 2027 will be jointly hosted by the three East African nations. This edition marks a historic milestone, as it will be the first AFCON tournament hosted by three countries. It also represents the competition’s return to East Africa since 1976, when Ethiopia hosted the tournament. CAF has also outlined the qualification process. A total of 48 teams, including the three co-hosts, will participate in the qualifiers. The draw will take place on May 19. The teams will be divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the final tournament. Qualification match window Matchdays One and Two are scheduled for September 21 to October 6while Matchdays Three and Four will take place from November 9 to November 17. Matchdays Five and Six will conclude the qualifying campaign from March 22-30, 2027.
