The draw for the Preliminary Round qualifiers of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania 2027 has been concluded, setting the stage for several intriguing regional encounters.
Twelve teams, the lowest-ranked sides on the continent according to the FIFA World Rankings, will compete in this round. The six winners from the two-legged ties will progress to the group stage of the qualifiers, where they will join the remaining 42 CAF Member Associations.
An all-Southern African clash will see Seychelles take on Lesotho, with the island nation hosting the first leg. In East Africa, Djibouti will welcome South Sudan in the opening leg of their tie.
Chad are set to host Burundi in the first leg of their encounter, while Somalia will play at home against Mauritius. Eritrea will begin their campaign on home soil against Eswatini, and São Tomé and Príncipe will host Ethiopia in the first leg of their fixture.
All preliminary round matches are scheduled to be played during the FIFA international window from 25 to 31 March 2026.
The 2027 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will be historic, marking the first time the continent’s flagship tournament will be co-hosted by three countries — Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Preliminary Round Fixtures:
- Djibouti vs South Sudan
- Chad vs Burundi
- Somalia vs Mauritius
- Seychelles vs Lesotho
- Eritrea vs Eswatini
- São Tomé and Príncipe vs Ethiopia
