The path to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will take its first decisive step tomorrow. The draw for the Preliminary Round will be broadcast live on CAF TV at 13:00 local time (12:00 GMT).
The tournament, to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, will see its earliest contenders emerge from this stage.
The Contenders
The draw involves the 12 lowest-ranked member associations according to the FIFA rankings. They will compete for six coveted spots in the Group Stage. The winning nations will join 42 higher-ranked teams already waiting in the main qualifiers.
The teams have been divided into two pots:
Pot 1: Lesotho, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eswatini, South Sudan, Mauritius
Pot 2: Chad, São Tomé & Príncipe, Djibouti, Somalia, Seychelles, Eritrea
The Format
Each team from Pot 1 will be drawn against a team from Pot 2. They will play a two-legged tie, home and away. The first leg will be hosted by the team deemed to be the lower-ranked side from the pairing.
What’s at Stake?
Victory in these ties is crucial. The six countries who will triumph will earn their place in the official Group Stage draw for the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2027 Qualifiers. There, they will face the continent’s football powers, all dreaming of a place at the final tournament in East Africa.
The journey to glory for many starts tomorrow.