The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially revealed the draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, confirming the group-stage composition for all 48 participating national teams. The qualification campaign will determine which nations join the final tournament hosted jointly by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania in 2027.
Morocco, Senegal, Algeria and Nigeria among group favorites
Defending champions Morocco have been drawn in Group A with Gabon, Niger, and Lesotho, a relatively favorable group on paper for the North African giants.
Senegal will compete in Group J alongside Mozambique, Sudan, and Ethiopia, while Algeria faces Zambia, Togo, and Burundi in Group I. Nigeria has been placed in Group L with Madagascar, Tanzania, and Guinea-Bissau.
All four African heavyweights will be expected to secure qualification, although each group contains potential challenges from improving or unpredictable sides.
Ivory Coast vs Ghana headlines Group C
The most anticipated group-stage clash will see Ivory Coast and Ghana face off in Group C, a rare meeting between two of Africa’s most successful football nations in the same qualifying path. They will be joined by Gambia and Somalia, completing a group that could produce unexpected outcomes despite the clear favorites.
Competitive balance across the continent
Cameroon, DR Congo, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, and Mali were also handed mixed draws, with several groups appearing tightly balanced and likely to go down to the final matchdays. Guinea and Tunisia in particular face difficult paths, with limited qualification spots available in groups that include host nations already qualified automatically.
Road to CAN 2027
The qualifiers will begin in September 2026 and span six matchdays. The top two teams from each group will qualify, except in groups featuring host nations, where only one spot is available due to automatic qualification rules.
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