Niger draws tough group in 2027 africa cup of nations qualifiers

The draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) qualifiers took place in Egypt this past Tuesday, setting the stage for an intense campaign across the continent. Forty-eight nations now know their rivals as they vie for a spot in the tournament co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Qualification matches are structured into twelve groups of four teams each, with the top two finishers from every group advancing to the final phase. The opening matchdays are scheduled for September and October 2026, culminating in the final rounds during March 2027.

Group breakdowns for the 2027 CAN qualifiers

The twelve groups have been finalized as follows:

• Group A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
• Group B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
• Group C: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gambia, Somalia
• Group D: South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea
• Group E: DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
• Group F: Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic
• Group G: Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo
• Group H: Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, Botswana
• Group I: Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi
• Group J: Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia
• Group K: Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia
• Group L: Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau