Africa-Press. CAF has announced the opening and final dates for the historic edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, which will take place in 2027 across three countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
CAF confirmed in a statement on its official website that the tournament will be held in the summer, noting that the opening match will take place on June 19, 2027, while the final match is scheduled for July 17 of the same year.
The African football governing body also mentioned that it will announce the host country for the opening and final matches at a later date, adding that this tournament is expected to attract over 400 million people in East Africa.
This upcoming tournament will be the first edition held in three different countries and the second to take place in the summer after the 2019 edition in Egypt.
The Africa Cup of Nations will return to East Africa for the first time since the 1976 edition in Ethiopia.
CAF also clarified in its statement that the draw for the final qualifying tournament will take place on May 19, following the conclusion of the preliminary rounds.
The 48 participating teams in the final qualifying round will be divided into 12 groups, each consisting of four teams, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the finals.
CAF stated that the six rounds of qualifiers will occur during three international windows set by FIFA, with the first two rounds taking place from September 21 to October 6, 2026, while the third and fourth rounds will be held from November 9 to November 17, 2026.
Additionally, the fifth and sixth rounds are scheduled for March 22 to March 30, 2027.
