CAF confirms AFCON 2027 opening on June 19, final on July 17 as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda host
CAF confirms AFCON 2027 will open June 19 and conclude July 17 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda; qualifiers draw set for May 19, 2026, across three FIFA windows.
AFCON 2027 will kick off on June 19, 2027, and conclude with a final on July 17, 2027, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced, confirming the tournament will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The decision marks the first time the Africa Cup of Nations will be staged across three different host countries, and the tournament will return to East Africa for the first time since 1976. CAF said it will name which of the three hosts will stage the opening match and the final at a later date.
CAF sets official tournament dates
CAF made the dates public in a statement on its official channels, placing the final tournament firmly in the northern hemisphere summer. The opening match is scheduled for 19 June 2027 and the final for 17 July 2027, giving organizers a 29-day window to stage 24 teams in the finals. CAF noted this will be the second AFCON edition played in the summer period since the 2019 edition in Egypt.
Tri-nation hosting across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda
The 2027 tournament is the first AFCON to be formally arranged across three host nations, a development CAF described as “historic” in its release. While the confederation confirmed the tri-nation model, it did not immediately assign which country will host the curtain-raiser or the final match. Officials have said those venue allocations will be announced after further logistical assessments and stadium approvals.
Qualifying draw scheduled for May 19, 2026
CAF announced the draw for the final phase of the qualifying campaign will be held on May 19, 2026, following completion of the preliminary qualifying round. The draw will determine the composition of the qualifying groups that feed the 2027 finals. National associations and supporters have been given a clear timeline to prepare for the group-stage fixtures.
Qualification format: 48 teams to 12 groups
The confederation explained that 48 teams will take part in the final qualifying stage, which will be drawn into 12 groups of four teams each. The top two teams from every group will advance to the AFCON 2027 finals, yielding the tournament’s 24 finalists. CAF’s format aligns the qualifiers to FIFA international windows to reduce conflicts with club calendars and ensure player availability.
Match calendar set across three FIFA international windows
CAF confirmed that the six qualifying matchdays will be played across three FIFA international windows to minimize scheduling congestion. The first and second matchdays are set between 21 September and 6 October 2026, while matchdays three and four fall between 9 and 17 November 2026. The final two rounds of qualifying will be played from 22 to 30 March 2027, leaving a full season for hosts and qualified teams to prepare.
Regional impact and expected reach
CAF projected the tri-nation AFCON would reach more than 400 million people across East Africa through attendance and broadcast audiences. The confederation highlighted the event’s potential to stimulate tourism, infrastructure investment and regional cooperation among the three hosts. Local authorities in the three countries are expected to coordinate on transport, security and stadium readiness to meet CAF’s hosting standards.
Preparations will also test logistical capabilities given the multi-country format, with cross-border coordination required for team movement, fan travel and broadcast operations. Organizers are assessing stadium upgrades, accommodation capacity and transportation links to ensure match venues meet international requirements ahead of 2027.
The qualifying schedule now in place gives national teams a clear roadmap for the next competitive year, while CAF’s confirmation of the June 19 to July 17 window provides hosts and broadcasters certainty for longer-term planning. With the draw set for May 19, 2026, attention will turn to which nations progress through the preliminary rounds and how federations prepare for the group-stage campaign.