The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has officially confirmed the kick-off and final dates for the historic Africa Cup of Nations 2027 on thier official X handle, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
They posted:
It can’t come soon enough! 🌍Here are the key dates for the #TotalEnergiesAFCON Pamoja 2027. Ready?
According to CAF, the opening match of the tournament will take place on June 19, 2027, while the final is scheduled for July 17, 2027. The dates were approved by the FIFA Council during its recent meeting in Vancouver. CAF is yet to confirm which host nation will stage the opening match and the final.
Softfootball understands that This edition of AFCON marks a historic milestone as it will be the first time the competition is hosted across three countries, offering a unique opportunity to engage over 400 million people across the East African region.
The road to the tournament is already underway, with the preliminary round completed. Attention now turns to the qualifiers draw, scheduled for May 19, 2026, where 48 teams including the three co-hosts will be drawn into 12 groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group will secure qualification for the final tournament.
AFCON 2027 also represents a return to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted the competition in 1976, highlighting the region’s growing importance in African football.
CAF expects the tournament to build on the success of recent editions, including Africa Cup of Nations 2025 and Africa Cup of Nations 2023, both of which recorded significant commercial growth, increased sponsorship, and global viewership further cementing the rising global appeal of African football
Confederation of African Football has also intensified preparations for the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2026 with a promotional countdown post
