Three-time champions Nigeria will discover their opponents for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Tuesday when the Confederation of African Football conducts the draw for the tournament to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The qualifying draw will be held at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association in Cairo ahead of the finals, which are scheduled to take place from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
Tagged AFCON PAMOJA 2027, it will be the first edition in the competition’s history to be co-hosted by three countries.
Nigeria won the tournament in 1980, 1994 and 2013. The Super Eagles also finished runners-up in 2023 and third in 2025.
A total of 48 teams, including the three co-hosts, will participate in the qualifiers.
According to CAF, the 48 participating countries will be divided into 12 groups of four teams, with the top two sides in each group qualifying automatically for the finals.
However, because Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have already secured qualification as hosts, only one additional team will qualify from each of their groups.
The qualifiers will be played across three FIFA international windows between September 2026 and March 2027.
CAF said, “Matchdays one and two are scheduled for September 21 to October 6, 2026, while the third and fourth rounds of fixtures will take place from November 9 to 17, 2026. The final qualification matches are set for March 22 to 30, 2027.
“For the co-hosts, the tournament represents more than just football.
“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.”
