The journey to the 36th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) officially ignited in Rabat, Morocco, as CAF conducted the draw for the 2027 preliminary qualifiers. While the continent is still buzzing from the current tournament in Morocco, all eyes in East Africa are now firmly fixed on the 2027 “Pamoja” edition, which will be historic as the first ever co-hosted by three nations: Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
The draw, held on January 13, 2026, pitted the 12 lowest-ranked teams on the continent against one another in a bid to secure one of six slots in the group stage qualifiers.
East African football fans have an immediate reason to be excited as South Sudan will face off against Djibouti. This regional encounter will see Djibouti host the first leg before the “Bright Stars” of South Sudan look to settle the tie at home.
The full preliminary round pairings are as follows:
Djibouti vs. South Sudan
Chad vs. Burundi
Somalia vs. Mauritius
Seychelles vs. Lesotho
Eritrea vs. Eswatini
Sao Tomé and Príncipe vs. Ethiopia
These high-stakes, home-and-away fixtures are scheduled to take place during the next FIFA International Window, between March 25th and 31st, 2026. The six winners will advance to join the 42 highest-ranked African nations in the group stage draw, which will eventually determine the final field for the 2027 showpiece.
That’s fantastic news, really exciting to see the preparations underway! It’s going to be a long and intense journey for all the teams.