AFCON 2027: Dates, Host Cities, Qualifying Format and Key Details

The Africa Cup of Nations is heading to East Africa for the first time in decades. AFCON 2027 will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and the qualifiers are well under way. Here are the dates, venues and format.

AFCON 2027 dates

The 36th edition of the tournament runs from Saturday, 19 June to Saturday, 17 July 2027. The venues for the opening match and the final had not been announced when the dates were confirmed. It is the first time the tournament has been co-hosted by three countries, and it returns to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted in 1976.

The host cities

Matches are set to be played at 10 venues across the three countries. Kenya’s cities include Nairobi, Kakamega and Eldoret. Tanzania will use Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Arusha and Zanzibar. Uganda’s cities include Kampala, Lira and Hoima.

The qualifying format

A total of 48 teams, including the three hosts, are competing in the qualifiers. They are split into 12 groups of four. The top two in each group go through, and 24 teams will reach the finals. The three hosts qualified automatically, so in their groups only the highest-ranked team outside the hosts advances.

Qualifying dates

• Matchdays 1 and 2: 21 September to 6 October 2026.
• Matchdays 3 and 4: 9 to 17 November 2026.
• Matchdays 5 and 6: 22 to 30 March 2027.

This means the third and fourth rounds of qualifying are being played now.

Stars to watch

Several of Africa’s biggest names are expected to feature, with players such as Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakimi and Sadio Mane often mentioned. Their teams will need to secure qualification first, so the group results will matter.

Time difference

East Africa is 2.5 hours behind India, so matches played in the afternoon or evening in Kenya, Tanzania or Uganda would fall in the late afternoon or night in India. The kick-off times have not been announced.

Where to watch in India

A broadcaster for India was not confirmed in the sources we found. Check the CAF’s official channels closer to the tournament.

Why it matters

AFCON is Africa’s biggest football event, and the move to an East African summer tournament is a historic step. It also falls in the same window as the Ashes and other major events, so the global sports calendar will be busy. For more football coverage, visit our Football section.