CAF unveils full 2027 AFCON qualifiers fixtures and match schedule

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the complete draw and fixture schedule for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, confirming a packed programme of matches that will unfold across three international windows between 2026 and 2027.

The qualification campaign, spread across 12 groups (A to L), will see teams compete in a home-and-away round-robin format over six matchdays, with the race for continental slots expected to be fiercely contested.

• Group-stage fixtures confirmed

Several heavyweight nations have been handed demanding group assignments, setting up high-profile clashes from the opening round.

In Group C, Ghana will face defending champions Ivory Coast, alongside The Gambia and Somalia in a West African-heavy pool that already stands out as one of the most competitive sections of the draw.

Group A features Morocco, Gabon, Niger and Lesotho, while Group B pits Egypt against Angola, Malawi and South Sudan. Elsewhere, Group D includes South Africa, Kenya, Guinea and Eritrea, promising another closely fought contest.

Traditional powerhouses such as Nigeria, Senegal, Algeria, Cameroon and Tunisia have also learned their qualification paths, each facing a mix of established and emerging African sides.

• Selected group fixtures

Group A

• MD1: Morocco v Gabon; Niger v Lesotho
• MD2: Gabon v Niger; Lesotho v Morocco
• MD3: Gabon v Lesotho; Morocco v Niger
• MD4: Lesotho v Gabon; Niger v Morocco
• MD5: Gabon v Morocco; Lesotho v Niger
• MD6: Morocco v Gabon; Niger v Gabon

Group B

• MD1: Egypt v Angola; Malawi v South Sudan
• MD2: Angola v Malawi; South Sudan v Egypt
• MD3: Angola v South Sudan; Egypt v Malawi
• MD4: Malawi v Egypt; South Sudan v Angola
• MD5: Angola v Egypt; South Sudan v Malawi
• MD6: Egypt v South Sudan; Malawi v Angola

Group C

• MD1: Gambia v Somalia; Ivory Coast v Ghana
• MD2: Ghana v Gambia; Somalia v Ivory Coast
• MD3: Ghana v Somalia; Ivory Coast v Gambia
• MD4: Gambia v Ivory Coast; Somalia v Ghana
• MD5: Ghana v Ivory Coast; Somalia v Gambia
• MD6: Gambia v Ghana; Ivory Coast v Somalia

Group D

• MD1: Kenya v Eritrea; South Africa v Guinea
• MD2: Eritrea v South Africa; Guinea v Kenya
• MD3: Guinea v Eritrea; South Africa v Kenya
• MD4: Eritrea v Guinea; Kenya v South Africa
• MD5: Eritrea v Kenya; Guinea v South Africa
• MD6: Kenya v Guinea; South Africa v Eritrea

Group E

• MD1: DR Congo v Equatorial Guinea; Sierra Leone v Zimbabwe
• MD2: Equatorial Guinea v Sierra Leone; Zimbabwe v DR Congo
• MD3: DR Congo v Sierra Leone; Equatorial Guinea v Zimbabwe
• MD4: Sierra Leone v DR Congo; Zimbabwe v Equatorial Guinea
• MD5: Equatorial Guinea v DR Congo; Zimbabwe v Sierra Leone
• MD6: DR Congo v Zimbabwe; Sierra Leone v Equatorial Guinea

Group F

• MD1: Burkina Faso v Benin; Mauritania v Central African Republic
• MD2: Benin v Mauritania; Central African Republic v Burkina Faso
• MD3: Benin v Central African Republic; Burkina Faso v Mauritania
• MD4: Central African Republic v Benin; Mauritania v Burkina Faso
• MD5: Benin v Burkina Faso; Central African Republic v Mauritania
• MD6: Burkina Faso v Central African Republic; Mauritania v Benin

Group G

• MD1: Cameroon v Comoros; Namibia v Congo
• MD2: Comoros v Namibia; Congo v Cameroon
• MD3: Cameroon v Namibia; Comoros v Congo
• MD4: Congo v Comoros; Namibia v Cameroon
• MD5: Comoros v Cameroon; Congo v Namibia
• MD6: Cameroon v Congo; Namibia v Comoros

Group H

• MD1: Libya v Botswana; Tunisia v Uganda
• MD2: Botswana v Tunisia; Uganda v Libya
• MD3: Tunisia v Libya; Uganda v Botswana
• MD4: Botswana v Uganda; Libya v Tunisia
• MD5: Botswana v Libya; Uganda v Tunisia
• MD6: Libya v Uganda; Tunisia v Botswana

Group I

• MD1: Algeria v Zambia; Togo v Burundi
• MD2: Burundi v Algeria; Zambia v Togo
• MD3: Algeria v Togo; Zambia v Burundi
• MD4: Burundi v Zambia; Togo v Algeria
• MD5: Burundi v Togo; Zambia v Algeria
• MD6: Algeria v Burundi; Togo v Zambia

Group J

• MD1: Senegal v Mozambique; Sudan v Ethiopia
• MD2: Ethiopia v Senegal; Mozambique v Sudan
• MD3: Mozambique v Ethiopia; Senegal v Sudan
• MD4: Ethiopia v Mozambique; Sudan v Senegal
• MD5: Ethiopia v Sudan; Mozambique v Senegal
• MD6: Senegal v Ethiopia; Sudan v Mozambique

Group K

• MD1: Mali v Cape Verde; Rwanda v Liberia
• MD2: Cape Verde v Rwanda; Liberia v Mali
• MD3: Cape Verde v Liberia; Mali v Rwanda
• MD4: Liberia v Cape Verde; Rwanda v Mali
• MD5: Cape Verde v Mali; Liberia v Rwanda
• MD6: Mali v Liberia; Rwanda v Cape Verde

Group L

• MD1: Nigeria v Madagascar; Tanzania v Guinea-Bissau
• MD2: Guinea-Bissau v Nigeria; Madagascar v Tanzania
• MD3: Madagascar v Guinea-Bissau; Nigeria v Tanzania
• MD4: Guinea-Bissau v Madagascar; Tanzania v Nigeria
• MD5: Guinea-Bissau v Tanzania; Madagascar v Nigeria
• MD6: Nigeria v Guinea-Bissau; Tanzania v Madagascar
• Qualification windows confirmed

CAF has also confirmed the match windows for the qualifiers. Matchdays 1 and 2 will be played between September 21 and October 6, 2026, followed by Matchdays 3 and 4 in the November 9–17, 2026 international window. The final two rounds, Matchdays 5 and 6, are scheduled for March 22–30, 2027.

With the fixtures now officially set, attention turns to team preparations as nations across Africa begin planning their routes to the 2027 AFCON finals.