Next Afcon’s qualifiers kick off as decision on last winners still awaited

A new cycle of Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) competition gets under way in earnest on Thursday as group qualifiers for the 2027 finals kick off, with the winners of the last edition still in dispute.

A total of 48 countries are divided into 12 groups and begin a six-round qualifying process running to March next year, with the top two in nine of the groups advancing to the finals.

The tournament is being co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, who are also competing in the qualifiers. In the groups in which they play, only one other side will go through to the 24-team tournament, which will take place from June 19 to July 17.

Bafana Bafana, who kick off against Guinea at Orlando Stadium on Saturday , are in one of those groups. New coach Pitso Mosimane’s South Africa, who also meet Eritrea in neutral Cairo on Wednesday, are in Group D, which includes Kenya, the co-hosts coached by Bafana legend Benni McCarthy.

Pitso Mosimane on Olwethu Makhanya as Bafana prepares for Afcon qualifier against Guinea. WATCH press conference➡️➡️➡️ https://t.co/43WISafy6V pic.twitter.com/G4bnJOUKDk

However, with the finals less than a year away, the continent still awaits a decision on the last Afcon decider in Morocco in January.

Senegal beat the hosts in the final but because they walked off the pitch in a 14-minute protest towards the end, they were stripped of the title and it was handed to Morocco.

Senegal have appealed against the Confederation of African Football’s decision and it will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 8.

Morocco went on to be the best-performing African side at the World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals, and begin their Nations Cup Group A qualifiers at home to Gabon in Rabat before facing Lesotho on September 29 in Bloemfontein.

🇸🇳 "I was born here, my parents were born here, and it really is a homecoming" Patrick Vieira says it is "an honour" to become Senegal head coach, with the decision to take the job "one from the heart". , pic.twitter.com/ERdjyIezlL

Lesotho are one of 12 countries forced to play home games at a neutral venue because they do not have a stadium that the Confederation of African Football deems adequate for international competition.

Senegal have switched their home fixture against Mozambique because of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and start their Group J campaign in Maputo on Friday, with France legend Patrick Vieira their new coach after a disappointing World Cup. Sadio Mané is one of several previously major players not in his first squad.

Tunisia were the only one of 10 African countries at the World Cup who did not get past the first round and have also made many changes with only 14 players retained from this year’s tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the US.

New coach Moin Chaabani debuts against Uganda in Group H on Thursday as Tunisia look to extend their record number of successive finals appearances to 18.