African Football Body Announces Major Overhaul for AFCON Qualifications
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has revealed a groundbreaking new qualification structure for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, marking a significant departure from previous formats. This announcement comes during a period of transition for Nigerian football following the Super Eagles' failure to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
East Africa to Host Historic Tournament
Three East African nations - Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda will jointly host the continental showpiece in June and July 2027. This historic arrangement represents the first time three countries will collaborate to stage Africa's premier football competition. The tournament scheduling during this period maintains the shift from traditional January timings.
The CAF executive committee has ratified a comprehensive new proposal that ensures every African national team will participate directly in the qualifiers, eliminating the preliminary rounds that previously excluded some nations. This inclusive approach guarantees more teams the opportunity to compete for AFCON glory.
Revolutionary Group Stage Structure
According to the newly approved format, qualifiers will feature 13 groups containing either three or four teams each. DR Congo, having triumphed in the African World Cup playoff final, will be placed in one of the three-team groups. The qualification campaign is scheduled to commence in March 2026.
The path to AFCON 2027 will see group winners automatically qualifying for the tournament alongside the three best runners-up across all groups. The remaining ten second-place teams will advance to a playoff round where five additional teams will emerge victorious, completing the final roster of 24 nations competing for the African title.
The official draw for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers will take place on December 19, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting qualification journey.
Nigeria's Football Landscape
While looking ahead to the 2027 tournament, Nigerian football fans remain focused on the upcoming 2025 AFCON edition scheduled to run from December 21 to January 18 in Morocco. This will mark the first time the tournament occurs during the Christmas and New Year period.
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has identified three nations he believes could prevent Nigeria from claiming their fourth AFCON title in 2025. Nigeria previously conquered the continent in 1980, 1994, and most recently in 2013, narrowly missing the trophy in the last edition against Ivory Coast despite Ekong's opening goal.
In related developments, CAF has named 94 match officials for the 2025 tournament, including 33 referees, 36 assistant referees, and 11 Video Assistant Referees. Notably, Nigerian officials are absent from this prestigious list.
As African football continues to evolve, these structural changes promise to create more opportunities for emerging football nations while maintaining the competitive integrity that has made AFCON one of the world's most exciting tournaments.
