The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced the timetable for the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), signalling the start of what promises to be an intense qualification battle across the continent.

CAF confirmed that the qualifying campaign will run in the latter part of 2026, beginning with a preliminary round set for March. This opening phase will feature selected nations, while teams exempted from the preliminary round — including the Leopards — will progress straight to the group stage.

The group phase of the qualifiers will be played across three FIFA international windows. Matchdays 1 and 2 are scheduled for September 21–30, 2026, with Matchdays 3 and 4 taking place from October 1–6, 2026. The final group fixtures, Matchdays 5 and 6, will be contested between November 9 and 17, 2026.

These matches will determine the teams that qualify for the 2027 AFCON, which CAF has confirmed will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The tournament will mark a historic milestone as the first Africa Cup of Nations to be staged across three East African countries.

The 2027 AFCON is set to kick off in June 2027, with anticipation already building for a colourful and highly competitive tournament.

CAF added that further details, including the official draw and full fixture list for the qualifiers, will be released in due course. As the countdown begins, national teams across Africa are expected to intensify preparations ahead of the decisive road to East Africa 2027.