Three countries, one trophy, and a format that has never been tried in the history of African football. When Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda open AFCON 2027 on 19 June, it will be the first time the Africa Cup of Nations has been shared between three host nations, and the first time it has been played in East Africa in 51 years.
This guide brings together the dates, venues, format, qualifying picture, travel questions and open issues in one place. We checked each detail against CAF’s announcements or established news outlets, and where CAF has not confirmed something yet, we say so. Facts last verified on 29 October 2026.
Key Takeaways
- AFCON 2027, branded PAMOJA, runs from 19 June to 17 July 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. It is the first AFCON hosted by three countries and the first in East Africa since Ethiopia in 1976.
- CAF has confirmed that the tournament keeps its 24-team format. It has called reports of a 28-team expansion false.
- 48 nations are in the qualifiers, drawn into 12 groups of four. The three hosts qualified automatically but still play, and the last two qualifying matchdays are on 22 to 30 March 2027.
- CAF has not said which country will stage the opening match and the final, and it has not published a ratified venue list. Motsepe says there is no Plan B for the hosts, and CAF’s next inspection is due in January 2027.
- The 2025 title is still being argued over. CAF’s Appeal Board gave it to Morocco after Senegal won on the pitch, and a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling is expected by the end of November.
- AFCON’s switch to a four-year cycle from 2028 is under review, so the long-term calendar is not settled.
AFCON 2027 at a Glance
The table below pulls together what CAF has confirmed and what is still open, as of 29 October 2026.
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Dates | Opening match Saturday 19 June 2027, final Saturday 17 July 2027 |
| Hosts | Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda |
| Edition | 36th Africa Cup of Nations |
| Teams | 24, confirmed by CAF |
| Qualifying | 48 nations in 12 groups of four, ending on 22 to 30 March 2027 |
| Opening match and final host | Not yet announced by CAF |
| Venues | No ratified list. Main venues named by organisers in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Hoima and Lira, with Arusha and Zanzibar proposed |
| 2025 champion | Disputed. CAF’s Appeal Board awarded Morocco the title, and Senegal’s appeal is at CAS |
| Winner’s prize | US$10 million at the 2025 edition. The 2027 figure has not been announced |
| Next CAF inspection | January 2027 |
When and Where AFCON 2027 Is Played
CAF has confirmed that the opening match will be played on Saturday 19 June 2027 and the final on Saturday 17 July 2027. The FIFA Council approved the dates at its meeting in Vancouver, and CAF said it would name the country hosting the opener and the final later (CAF). “Pamoja” is Swahili for “together” and is the tournament’s official branding.
Three things make this edition historic. It is the first AFCON hosted by three countries. It is the first in East Africa since Ethiopia staged the finals in 1976, a gap of 51 years. And CAF says the three-nation format gives the competition a chance to reach more than 400 million people in the region.
The mid-year slot is also a change of pace. Morocco’s edition ran from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, so AFCON 2027 lands in a very different part of the calendar. For how it fits around the rest of the year, see our 2027 African football calendar.
Why Three Countries Share the Tournament
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda won the hosting rights in September 2023 with a joint “East Africa Pamoja” bid, and the three countries already share a football region through CECAFA. Sharing the tournament also spreads the cost and the preparation work across three governments, although it adds a coordination challenge of its own.
CAF gave the trio a dress rehearsal first. The 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) was co-hosted by the same three countries, and Kenya’s local organising committee chairman, Nicholas Musonye, has said CAF awarded it to them before AFCON as a deliberate test of their readiness. Tanzania hosted the opening ceremony, Uganda staged the third-place play-off and Kenya hosted the final at Kasarani, where Morocco beat Madagascar 3-2. Local reports said CAF fined both Kenya and Tanzania for safety breaches during the tournament, which is exactly the kind of lesson AFCON will test again.
If you want the background on that tournament, read our explainer on what CHAN is. For the hosts’ own preparation, our piece on Kenya’s road to AFCON 2027 covers the Harambee Stars’ side of the story.
Venues and Readiness
CAF has not yet published a ratified list of match venues, so every ground below is one that organisers or inspectors have named, not a final CAF allocation.
| Country | Venue | Status in late October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya | Talanta Sports International Stadium (officially the Raila Odinga International Stadium), Nairobi, 60,000 seats | Kenya’s flagship venue, inspected by CAF in September. It is reported to open on 5 January 2027 with a Bayern Munich v Ajax friendly |
| Kenya | Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi | Pitch work due to finish by the end of October, with handover planned for December |
| Kenya | Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi | Listed by the Kenyan government as an alternative venue |
| Tanzania | Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam | Part of CAF’s September inspection |
| Tanzania | Proposed venues in Arusha and Zanzibar | Assessed by CAF inspectors but not final. Organisers say Tanzania’s stadiums are over 80 percent complete on average, with handover expected in January |
| Uganda | Mandela National Stadium, Kampala | One of three main venues named by the organising committee, due to be finished by the end of December |
| Uganda | Hoima City Stadium | Completed and commissioned |
| Uganda | Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium, Lira | Due to be completed and commissioned in December |
A CAF delegation spent eight days inspecting stadiums, training grounds, hotels and airports across the three countries, and the work now moves from construction to testing (Al Jazeera). Training grounds are the weaker link. In Tanzania, five training facilities are being prepared in each host location, and organisers put them at about 75 percent complete. Uganda expects 10 of its 12 to be ready by the end of the year, with the rest planned for January.
Doubts and the “No Plan B” Line
The pace of work has drawn scrutiny. French outlet Le Monde reported concerns about whether Kenya and Uganda in particular can finish in time, and named Morocco, Algeria and South Africa as possible fallback hosts. CAF’s public position has not moved. Motsepe has said there is no Plan B or Plan C, and CAF has scheduled a new inspection visit for January 2027. Until then, treat the venue picture as in progress rather than settled.
One more piece is still missing. CAF has not said which of the three countries will stage the opening match and the final, and it is likely to weigh stadium readiness, transport and security before deciding.
Format and Qualifying
AFCON 2027 keeps the 24-team format that has been used since 2019: six groups of four, with the top two in each group and the four best third-placed teams reaching the round of 16. From there it is a straight knockout through the quarter-finals, semi-finals, a third-place play-off and the final.
The 24-Team Question
You may have seen reports that AFCON 2027 would grow to 28 teams. CAF has said they are false, stating that the tournament will retain its current format of 24 teams (report on CAF’s statement). Motsepe floated a 28-team version earlier in the year, and it was reported to have been voted down by CAF’s executive committee, so 24 is the number to use.
How Qualifying Works
All 54 CAF members entered qualifying. A preliminary round in March 2026 involved the 12 lowest-ranked teams, and its six winners joined the other 42 nations. That made 48 teams, including the three hosts, who were drawn into 12 groups of four at the Egyptian FA’s headquarters in Cairo on 19 May 2026. Each team plays six matches, spread across three FIFA windows:
- 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
In a standard group, the top two teams qualify. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are already in, so in any group that contains a host, only one other team goes through. That gives nine groups sending two teams and three groups sending one, which makes 21 qualifiers on top of the three hosts.
| Group | Teams | Note |
|---|---|---|
| A | Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho | |
| B | Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan | |
| C | Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Gambia, Somalia | |
| D | South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea | Host group |
| H | Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, Botswana | Host group |
| I | Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi | |
| L | Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau | Host group |
The host groups are the ones to watch. Because only one non-host team can advance from each, South Africa, Guinea, Tunisia, Libya, Nigeria and Madagascar are effectively fighting for a single ticket in their groups. Ghana, who missed the 2025 tournament, also face a demanding draw against Côte d’Ivoire in Group C.
For every group, fixture and result, see our AFCON 2027 qualifiers guide. That page also lists who has secured a place as each group is settled.
The Field Heading Into 2027
The Disputed 2025 Title
Who counts as the reigning champion depends on a legal process that has not finished. Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 after extra time in the 18 January 2026 final in Rabat, after their players briefly left the pitch in protest at a penalty awarded to Morocco, which was missed. CAF’s Appeal Board later ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match and awarded Morocco a 3-0 win and the title on 17 March. Senegal took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which heard it on 8 October, and a ruling is expected by the end of November (Afrik-Foot). Until then, this guide describes the 2025 title as disputed rather than naming a holder.
The Contenders
The tournament’s most decorated nations are all in the qualifying field. Egypt have seven titles, Cameroon five and Ghana four, while Nigeria have three, a record we trace in our look at Nigeria at AFCON. Algeria have two, and the story of those wins is in Algeria at AFCON. Côte d’Ivoire won the 2023 edition on home soil, and Nigeria finished third at the 2025 tournament, beating Egypt in a shoot-out for bronze after losing the semi-final to Morocco on penalties. For the domestic leagues that feed those national teams, see our guide to the Egyptian Premier League.
Two storylines already stand out from the qualifying draw. Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire were drawn together in Group C, and our Nigeria vs Ghana rivalry feature explains why a meeting between the West African neighbours would be so charged, although the two can only meet at the finals because they are in different qualifying groups. And South Africa, whose only title came in 1996 (South Africa at AFCON), share Group D with Kenya. Our Bafana Bafana explainer covers the national team.
How the Hosts Look
The three hosts arrive with very different records. Kenya have played six AFCON tournaments, won two matches and never made it out of the group stage, a story told in Kenya at AFCON and in our profile of the Harambee Stars. Qualifying draws placed Uganda in Pot 2 and Kenya and Tanzania in Pot 3, and the three drew demanding groups: Kenya face South Africa, Uganda face Tunisia, and Tanzania face Nigeria. Kenya started their campaign with a 1-1 draw at home to Eritrea and a 1-0 defeat at Guinea, while Uganda opened with a 1-1 draw against Tunisia.
Their most recent tournament together was a better guide. At CHAN, all three topped their groups and reached the quarter-finals. Kenya went out on penalties against Madagascar after a 1-1 draw, Uganda lost to Senegal and Tanzania lost 1-0 to Morocco. A knockout place at AFCON would be a strong result for any of them.
For Fans: Visas, Health and Travel
Moving between three countries is the part of this tournament with the most open questions, so check official sources before you book anything.
Visas
The three hosts want a single entry permit for the tournament. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has backed a proposal for a common East African visa that would let fans, teams and officials move freely across Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania for up to four months (State House Uganda). Kenya and Tanzania are working on a joint framework, but eligibility, fees and border procedures have not been settled. The gap exists because Tanzania sits outside the existing East African Tourist Visa shared by Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. Uganda has also announced a visa waiver for visitors around the tournament, reported by Xinhua and The Independent. Confirm the details with immigration authorities before you travel.
Health
An Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine, reached Uganda in May 2026. The World Health Organization classed the outbreak affecting Uganda and the DRC as a public health emergency of international concern, and cases were reported in Kampala (Africa Soccer). Uganda’s health ministry issued safety rules for sports events and other mass gatherings in May. Organisers have said preparations continue. We have not seen anything that changes the AFCON plans, but check official travel health advice close to departure.
Teams and Training Camps
Tanzania has an unusual pitch for visiting squads. Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba said the government is finalising plans for training grounds inside selected national parks, only in parks without dangerous wildlife, so that players can “train while enjoying the sight of wildlife”. It is a plan, not a confirmed camp list.
Following the Matches
Qualifiers are shown in East Africa on Azam TV, TBC Tanzania and KBC Kenya, according to Africa Soccer. We will add AFCON 2027 broadcast and ticketing details to this guide when CAF publishes them. In the meantime, our AFCON hub tracks the competition as fixtures are confirmed.
Prize Money, Broadcasting and the Four-Year Cycle
Prize Money and Broadcasting
CAF raised the winner’s prize to US$10 million for the 2025 tournament, up from US$7 million in 2023, and Motsepe said the figure would keep rising. We have not seen a 2027 figure, so treat $10 million as the latest confirmed number. On the broadcast side, Inside World Football reports that CAF’s current arrangement with IMG expires after the 2027 tournament, and that CAF is weighing offers for its next rights cycle.
The Four-Year Cycle Question
AFCON’s schedule is in flux, which is another reason to watch 2027 closely. On 20 December 2025, Motsepe announced in Rabat that AFCON would move to a four-year cycle after the 2027 edition. A 2028 tournament would still be played, and the next ones would follow in 2032 and 2036. He paired the change with a new African Nations League, to be played annually from 2029.
The plan drew criticism almost immediately, and it is now being reconsidered. At CAF’s strategy conference in Cape Verde on 9 October 2026, Motsepe said a return to a two-year cycle is under review, while insisting that CAF does not take instructions from FIFA or UEFA. He also reaffirmed that AFCON 2027 will go ahead in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda (Al Jazeera). Reports since then say CAF has asked all 54 member federations to choose between the two options, with the executive committee expected to take up the question in Abidjan in November. No final decision has been announced.
The outcome matters for planning. As recently as July, CAF was inviting bids to host AFCON in 2028, 2032 and 2036, and a return to a two-year cycle would mean abandoning that calendar. Whatever CAF decides, AFCON 2027 itself is unaffected. For the other tournaments around it, from the youth AFCONs to the club competitions, see our 2027 African football calendar.
Key Dates to Remember
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 21 September to 6 October 2026 | Qualifying matchdays 1 and 2 (played) |
| 9 to 17 November 2026 | Qualifying matchdays 3 and 4 |
| November 2026 | CAF executive committee expected to take up the AFCON cycle in Abidjan. A CAS ruling on the 2025 title is expected by the end of the month |
| 5 January 2027 | Kenya’s new national stadium is reported to open with a Bayern Munich v Ajax friendly |
| January 2027 | Next CAF inspection of the hosts. Tanzania expects to hand over its stadiums to CAF |
| 22 to 30 March 2027 | Final qualifying matchdays, completing the 24-team field |
| 19 June 2027 | Opening match |
| 17 July 2027 | Final |
Frequently Asked Questions
When is AFCON 2027? The opening match is on Saturday 19 June 2027 and the final is on Saturday 17 July 2027.
Which countries host AFCON 2027? Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, in the first AFCON shared by three nations.
How many teams play? 24. CAF has said reports of a 28-team format are false.
Who has qualified so far? Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda qualified automatically as hosts. The other 21 places are decided in the qualifiers, which finish on 30 March 2027. Our AFCON 2027 qualifiers page follows the race.
Which country hosts the opening match and the final? CAF has not announced this yet.
Who is the defending champion? It is disputed. CAF’s Appeal Board awarded the 2025 title to Morocco after Senegal won the final on the pitch, and Senegal’s appeal is at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with a ruling expected by the end of November.
Could AFCON 2027 be moved? CAF says no. Motsepe has said there is no Plan B, and CAF has scheduled another inspection for January 2027.
Will AFCON stay a two-year tournament? Not decided. CAF announced a four-year cycle from 2028 in December 2025 but is now reviewing it.
Bookmark this page and check back as the picture firms up. Once the fixture list is set, the AFCON hub will show every stage, from the group phase to the final.