365 days away! Countdown to East Africa’s Pamoja 2027 AFCON kickoff
Africa’s greatest football showpiece is set to return to East Africa for the first time since 1976 when the 2027 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) games take centre stage next year.
The edition in three East African countries will kick off on June 19, 2027, and is viewed as a potentially groundbreaking moment for African sport.
50-year wait
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Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda will host the AFCON for the first time in their history, with the bonanza expected to attract over 1.5 million fans to the three countries as well as a global spectacle with over 3.2 billion global TV audiences.
The last time the region hosted the tournament was in 1976 when Ethiopia staged the event.
In a statement preceding the start of the countdown on Friday, June 19, 2026, CAF revealed that consultations are ongoing on how important events such as staging the opening match and the final are among the co-hosts.
Key dates and timelines
“CAF is still in consultation with the three nations’ local organising committees and governments to determine the country that will host the final draw in March 2027, the opening match on 19 June, and the final match on Saturday, July 17, 2027,” the statement read.
With exactly 365 days remaining before kick-off, anticipation continues to build across the continent as nations prepare for the qualifying campaign that will determine the 24 teams that will compete for African football’s ultimate prize.
Already, the qualification draw was conducted in Cairo on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, shifting the spotlight on the teams set to battle for a place at the finals in East Africa.
By virtue of being the hosts, the three nations have already secured automatic qualification but will participate in the qualifiers, with only one additional nation progressing from their groups.
For Kenya, Benni McCarthy’s lads will be up against South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea in Group D.
Qualification matches beginning later this year will feature 48 countries competing for the 24 available slots at the finals. Traditional football giants, including Senegal, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast, are expected to headline the race for qualification.
