The Africa Cup of Nations returns to East Africa in June 2027 — and it will be unlike any edition before it. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will jointly host the tournament from 19 June to 17 July 2027, under the banner “Pamoja”, the Swahili word for “together”. It is the first AFCON ever hosted by three countries, and the first held in East Africa since Ethiopia staged it in 1976.
CAF has confirmed the dates: the opening match is on Saturday 19 June 2027 and the final on Saturday 17 July 2027. It will be the 36th edition of the competition, with 24 teams competing. The three host nations qualify automatically.
The road to the finals: who qualifies and when
Forty-eight nations entered qualifying, divided into 12 groups, with the top two in each group reaching the finals. Because the three hosts are already guaranteed places, only one other team emerges from each of their groups. The campaign runs across three international windows: matchdays one and two were played from 21 September to 6 October 2026, matchdays three and four are played from 9 to 17 November 2026, and the final two rounds from 22 to 30 March 2027, when the line-up will be complete. The draw follows once the full line-up is known at the end of March 2027.
The stadiums: what is confirmed and what is not
CAF has not yet published the final stadium list, and any guide should say so plainly. The venues expected to feature are:
- Kenya: the new 60,000-seat Talanta Stadium in Nairobi — formally the Raila Odinga International Stadium — and the 48,000-seat Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. Talanta Stadium will be inaugurated on 5 January 2027 with a friendly between Bayern Munich and Ajax.
- Uganda: the Mandela National Stadium at Namboole in Kampala, and the completed Hoima City Stadium.
- Tanzania: the 60,000-seat Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, the new Samia Suluhu Hassan Stadium in Arusha (about 30,000 seats), and venues in Zanzibar.
Readiness is the honest question mark. A CAF report in February 2026 found none of Kenya’s proposed stadiums yet fully met the confederation’s top Category 4 standard, and a CAF inspection delegation toured the three hosts in August 2026. The hosts are targeting full operational readiness by January 2027. Reporting on Kenya’s preparations notes the new Talanta Stadium’s completion had slipped to July 2026.
Timeline: from bid to final whistle
The Pamoja bid was awarded on 27 September 2023, beating the other candidates to bring the tournament to East Africa. The qualifiers began in September 2026 and finish in March 2027. The stadiums are due ready by January 2027, Talanta opens with its Bayern-Ajax friendly on 5 January, the draw follows in March, and the tournament itself runs 19 June to 17 July 2027. That is three years and nine months from winning the bid to the opening match — a short build for a tournament of this size, which is why the readiness dates matter more than the ceremony.
What it means for East Africa
Three countries hosting one tournament is a test of more than stadiums. A single East Africa entry visa for fans has been proposed, but as of October 2026 it had not been agreed between the three governments. Ticket sales had not opened either, and official prices had not been announced — fans should treat any site already selling tickets as suspect.
The prize is real. The last time the region hosted a tournament of this scale was half a century ago, and the 2027 edition is the biggest sporting event East Africa has ever staged. CAF’s decision to restore the two-year AFCON cycle means the tournament returns to its regular rhythm after this edition, and the Pamoja hosts will set the standard for the next hosts to match. The wider story of African sport hosting its biggest events is now a regional pattern, not a one-off — as the legacy of Dakar 2026, Africa’s first Olympics, shows.
What happens next
Watch the qualifiers this week: matchdays three and four, 9 to 17 November 2026, will decide which heavyweights are safe and which face a nervous March. Then the readiness deadline in January 2027, the draw in March, and the opening match on 19 June. The dates are set; the stadiums and the visa are the two things still to be settled.
FAQs
When is AFCON 2027?
19 June to 17 July 2027. The opening match is on Saturday 19 June and the final on Saturday 17 July.
Which countries host AFCON 2027?
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, jointly, under the name Pamoja 2027. It is the first AFCON hosted by three countries.
How many teams play at AFCON 2027?
24 teams. The three hosts qualify automatically; the other 21 come through qualifying, which finishes in March 2027.
Are AFCON 2027 tickets on sale?
No. As of October 2026, CAF had not opened ticket sales or announced prices. Any website already selling tickets should be treated with caution.
Which stadiums will host AFCON 2027?
The final list is not yet confirmed by CAF. The expected venues include Talanta Stadium and Kasarani in Nairobi, Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, and Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
