hree-time African champions the Nigeria national football team will discover their opponents for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as the Confederation of African Football conducts the official draw in Cairo, Egypt.
The qualifying series will determine the teams that will join hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda at the tournament finals, scheduled to be staged across the three East African nations.
Branded “AFCON PAMOJA 2027”, the competition will mark the first time in the tournament’s history that three countries will jointly host the continental football showpiece.
Nigeria heads into the draw as one of Africa’s most successful teams, having won the tournament in 1980, 1994 and 2013. The Super Eagles also finished runners-up at the edition and claimed third place last year.
According to CAF, 48 countries, including the three co-hosts, will participate in the qualifiers. The teams will be divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two teams in each group securing automatic qualification for the finals.
However, CAF explained that because Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have already qualified automatically as hosts, only one additional team will advance from each of their groups.
The qualification campaign will be played during three FIFA international windows spread across this year and next year.
CAF said the opening two matchdays would be held this year, while the remaining rounds would continue into next year before the final qualification fixtures are completed in March.
“For the co-hosts, the tournament represents more than just football,” CAF said.
“Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda view AFCON 2027 as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate infrastructure development, tourism and international investment while showcasing East Africa’s culture and passion for the game on the continental stage.”
