Bafana Bafana have discovered their opponents for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] qualifiers, with Benni McCarthy’s Kenya amongst the teams set to face South Africa.
The 2023 AFCON bronze medalists learned their qualification fate on Tuesday following the draw in Cairo, Egypt, ahead of the next edition, to be co-hosted by Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. The 24-team finals are scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027, marking the first time in 51 years that East Africa will stage the African showpiece.
Bafana are eyeing a third successive qualification to the prestigious tournament after making it to the last two editions under the leadership of head coach Hugo Broos. The Belgian mentor and his charges qualified for the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, enjoying an impressive run that saw them secure a bronze medal—their first podium finish since 2000.
However, their 2025 AFCON campaign in Morocco ended in disappointment, with Bafana crashing out in the Round of 16 following a 2-1 defeat to Cameroon.
BENNI McCARTHY SET FOR FIRST-EVER BAFANA MEETING
Meanwhile, Bafana will look to build on their recent continental momentum as they simultaneously prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Under their Belgian mentor, South Africa has evolved into one of the most exciting and feared sides on the continent over the past few years. As preparations for the East African showpiece intensify, Bafana have discovered their qualification opponents, with a matchup against Kenya headlining the draw.
The ceremony in Egypt was conducted by African football legends Max-Alain Gradel, William Troost-Ekong, Essam El Hadary, and Trésor Mputu.
Benni McCarthy, who has been at the helm of Kenya for over a year, will face his home country for the first time as an international coach, having spent the bulk of his previous coaching career at club level.
Hugo Broos’ charges find themselves in a fascinating Group D alongside McCarthy’s Harambee Stars, Guinea, and Eritrea.
CAF CONFIRMS AFCON 2027 QUALIFICATION FORMAT AND OFFICIAL DATES
In a statement, CAF revealed that the qualification path will consist of six home-and-away matchdays per team, played across three distinct FIFA international windows.
Under the general regulations, the top two finishers in each group will book their spots at the AFCON PAMOJA 2027 finals.
However, a unique rule applies to Groups D, H, and L. Because Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have already automatically qualified as co-hosts, only the single highest-ranked team outside of the hosts in those specific groups will advance.
CAF also confirmed the official calendar for the qualifiers, which will kick off with Matchdays 1 and 2 between 21 September and 6 October 2026. Matchdays 3 and 4 will follow from 9 to 17 November 2026, before the campaign concludes with the final two rounds from 22 to 30 March 2027.
AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Draw
GROUP A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
GROUP B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
GROUP C: Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, The 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
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