Complete lineup of 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying rounds announced

Nigeria's path to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been revealed, with the team set to face off against Madagascar, Tanzania, and Guinea-Bissau in the qualification campaign, following the official draw conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

n

The draw, which mapped out the road to the 2027 finals co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, featured 48 nations divided into four pots of 12 teams each, with each group containing one team from each pot.

n

The top two nations in every group are slated to qualify for the finals, with defending champions Morocco being placed in Group A alongside Gabon, Niger, and Lesotho, setting the stage for a competitive group stage.

n

South Africa, who have shown recent progress under the guidance of Hugo Broos, also received a favourable draw and will compete in Group D, where they will face hosts Kenya, coached by former South African international Benni McCarthy.

n

The meeting between South Africa and Kenya in Group D is expected to be an emotional encounter, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the fixture, while other notable match-ups include a heavyweight clash between Ghana and Ivory Coast in Group C.

n

The Ghana and Ivory Coast match-up is a repeat of the 2015 AFCON final, promising to be an exciting encounter, with the qualifying campaign scheduled to begin in September 2026 and run until March 2027.

n

The full draw for the AFCON 2027 features several interesting groups, including Group A, which consists of Morocco, Gabon, Niger, and Lesotho, and Group B, which includes Egypt, Angola, Malawi, and South Sudan.

n

Group C is comprised of Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gambia, and Somalia, while Group D features South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, and Eritrea, setting the stage for a competitive and unpredictable group stage.

n

Other groups include Group E, which consists of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe, and Group F, which features Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, and Central African Republic.

n

Group G is comprised of Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, and Congo, while Group H includes Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, and Botswana, and Group I features Algeria, Zambia, Togo, and Burundi.

n

Group J consists of Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, and Ethiopia, and Group K features Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, and Liberia, with Group L being the final group, which includes Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Guinea-Bissau.