The road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has begun, with top teams Egypt, Senegal, Morocco, and Nigeria kicking off their qualifying campaigns. Senegal, under new coach Patrick Vieira, a Senegal-born former France international, will face Mozambique, Sudan, and Ethiopia in Group I. Vieira, appointed in August, is focused on the AFCON qualifiers despite a dispute with the Confederation of African Football over the 2025 title.
Morocco, who reached the last eight at the 2026 World Cup, will play host to Gabon, led by new coach Sébastien Migné, on Friday. This will be Gabon's first match since the international retirement of skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Morocco will then travel to Bloemfontein in South Africa to face Lesotho on 29 September for their second game in Group A. The Moroccan team is looking to build on their recent success.
Nigeria, under coach Eric Chelle, will begin their campaign against Madagascar in Uyo. Chelle is looking to the future after failing to take Nigeria to the 2026 World Cup and disappointment in the 2025 Cup of Nations. The team will be without star striker Victor Osimhen for the first two games, with 29-year-old Coventry City forward Taiwo Awoniyi drafted in to bolster the squad.
Egypt, who claimed their last AFCON title in 2010, reassemble under coach Hossam Hassan. The team, led by skipper Mohamed Salah, will host Angola at the Cairo International Stadium before travelling to Juba to face South Sudan on 29 September. Egypt will also play Malawi during their qualifying campaign. The team is looking to build on their recent World Cup performance.
The competition for AFCON 2027 is expected to be fierce, with only one side from the three pools containing the co-hosts advancing to the 24-team tournament. In the nine other groups, the top two teams will progress. Nigeria will play Guinea-Bissau on 29 September and then face AFCON 2027 co-hosts Tanzania and Madagascar in November.
Senegal and Egypt are expected to emerge from their respective groups, but they will face tough challenges. Vieira has expressed confidence in his team's abilities, stating that they will be ready to take on a strong Mozambican side. The team's focus is on the AFCON qualifiers, despite their dispute with the Confederation of African Football.
The road to AFCON 2027 will be long and challenging, with teams battling for a spot in the 24-team tournament. The competition is expected to take place between 19 June and 17 July next year. Teams will need to be at their best to qualify and compete for the top prize.
Key points
- Senegal, under new coach Patrick Vieira, will face Mozambique, Sudan, and Ethiopia in Group I.
- Nigeria will be without star striker Victor Osimhen for the first two games of the AFCON qualifying campaign.
- The competition for AFCON 2027 is expected to be fierce, with only one side from the three pools containing the co-hosts advancing to the 24-team tournament.
