2027 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Draw in Cairo

The draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers was held in Cairo on Tuesday, pitting regional rivals against each other and setting the stage for a campaign that will determine the 24 teams to compete in the tournament co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda next year.

Defending champions Ivory Coast were placed in a challenging Group C alongside four-time winners Ghana, Gambia, and Somalia. The group features two West African heavyweights, with Ghana entering as a second seed after failing to qualify for the 2025 tournament. The top two teams from each group will advance to the finals, scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027.

The qualification process is complicated by the automatic participation of the three co-hosts. Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda are already assured of their places at the finals but will take part in the qualifiers for competitive match practice. This means that in Groups D, H, and L, which contain the co-hosts, only one additional team from each group will secure a ticket to the tournament.

In Group D, South Africa will face Guinea, Eritrea, and co-hosts Kenya. The fixture carries a notable storyline as Kenya is coached by Benni McCarthy, South...