News Focus
- The official draw for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers will take place on Tuesday, May 19.
- Kenya has been ranked in Pot C based on the latest FIFA World Rankings.
- As co-hosts, the Harambee Stars automatically qualify but must still compete in the group stage.
- Only one additional team from each host’s group will advance to the final tournament.
- The qualification campaign runs from September 2026 to March 2027.
The Confederation of African Football has announced the date for the highly anticipated AFCON 2027 qualifying draw. The event will take place on Tuesday, May 19, marking a key milestone on the road to the historic Pamoja tournament.
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will co-host the competition. This marks the first occasion where three nations will share hosting duties for the continental championship. As co-hosts, all three sides have guaranteed places in the final event scheduled for June 2027.
However, CAF regulations require the host nations to participate in the qualifying rounds. This rule ensures the teams remain match-fit and competitive ahead of the main tournament. Kenya’s squad will compete under head coach Benni McCarthy, who aims to strengthen the team during these fixtures.
The Harambee Stars have been placed in Pot C. This seeding follows the most recent FIFA World Rankings. Under the draw rules, teams from the same pot cannot face each other in the group stage.
This placement means Kenya will avoid meeting eleven specific nations. These include regional rivals Tanzania, Rwanda and Sudan. The Pot C list also features Libya, Niger, Mauritania, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Namibia and Malawi.
A total of forty-eight countries will enter the qualification race. They will form twelve groups of four teams each. Typically, the top two teams from every group would progress. However, the three groups containing Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will operate under special conditions. Only one extra team from each of these groups will join the hosts at the finals.
The qualifiers begin in September and October 2026 for the first two matchdays. The final fixtures will occur in March 2027.
The Kenyan government recently completed the USD 30 million hosting fee payment to CAF. Meanwhile, construction work at Nyayo Stadium and Kasarani Stadium has entered an accelerated phase to meet the required standards before the tournament kicks off.