The contenders

Teams to watch at AFCON 2027

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are through as co-hosts. Everyone else is still fighting for a place through qualifying — here's who's in the running.

Not yet confirmed: No team below other than the three co-hosts has qualified for the finals. Qualifying runs September 2026 to March 2027.

Host

Nigeria

Super Eagles

Group L3× champions

Ghana

Black Stars

Group C4× champions

Senegal

Lions of Teranga

Group J1× champions

Egypt

Pharaohs

Group B7× champions

Morocco

Atlas Lions

Group A1× champions

Côte d'Ivoire

Elephants

Group C3× champions
Host

South Africa

Bafana Bafana

Group D1× champions

Algeria

Desert Foxes / Fennecs

Group I2× champions

Cameroon

Indomitable Lions

Group G5× champions

Qualifying draw

All 12 groups

Group A
  • Morocco
  • Gabon
  • Niger
  • Lesotho
Group B
  • Egypt
  • Angola
  • Malawi
  • South Sudan
Group C
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Ghana
  • The Gambia
  • Somalia
Group DHost group
  • South Africa
  • Guinea
  • Kenya
  • Eritrea
Group E
  • DR Congo
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Sierra Leone
  • Zimbabwe
Group F
  • Burkina Faso
  • Benin
  • Mauritania
  • Central African Republic
Group G
  • Cameroon
  • Comoros
  • Namibia
  • Congo
Group HHost group
  • Tunisia
  • Uganda
  • Libya
  • Botswana
Group I
  • Algeria
  • Zambia
  • Togo
  • Burundi
Group J
  • Senegal
  • Mozambique
  • Sudan
  • Ethiopia
Group K
  • Mali
  • Cape Verde
  • Rwanda
  • Liberia
Group LHost group
  • Nigeria
  • Madagascar
  • Tanzania
  • Guinea-Bissau