Fixtures for 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers confirmed as teams see path to finals

Bafana Bafana have been drawn with co-hosts Kenya in their pool and will face compatriot Benni McCarthy, now leading the Harambee Stars.

The first two matchdays will take place between September 21 and October 6, followed by MD3 and MD4 from November 9 to 17 this year. The final rounds, MD5 and MD6, will occur from March 22 to 30 next year.

South Africa begins their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying journey with a home match against Guinea, a crucial encounter for their finals aspirations.

Despite automatic qualification as hosts, Kenya will participate in the qualifiers, meaning only one other team from Group D will advance. This sets up a direct contest between Bafana and Syli Nationale.

Eritrea, ranked 184th by FIFA, made history by reaching the group stage after a surprise win over Eswatini in March. However, seven players later sought asylum in South Africa, casting doubt on Eritrea's continued participation.

For now, Bafana's second fixture is an away game against Eritrea, who previously hosted matches in Morocco due to inadequate facilities at home.

A highly anticipated clash between Bafana and McCarthy's Kenya is scheduled for November, with South Africa hosting first before the return leg in Nairobi.

Bafana's campaign concludes next March with an away match against Guinea, who have also hosted games abroad recently, followed by a home game versus Eritrea.

Nigeria opens their qualifiers at home against Madagascar in September, then travels to Guinea-Bissau. They face Tanzania twice in November, visit Madagascar in March, and finish at home against Guinea-Bissau.

Ghana's Black Stars commence with a tough away game against Ivory Coast in September, aiming to rebound from missing the previous finals. They then host Gambia, take on Somalia twice in November, and conclude next March with a home game against Ivory Coast and an away trip to Gambia.

Fixtures for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers

Group A:

MD1: Morocco v Gabon, Niger v Lesotho

MD2: Gabon v Niger, Lesotho v Morocco

MD3: Gabon v Lesotho, Morocco v Niger

MD4: Lesotho v Gabon, Niger v Morocco

MD5: Gabon v Morocco, Lesotho v Niger

MD6: Morocco v Gabon, Niger v Gabon

Group B:

MD1: Egypt v Angola, Malawi v South Sudan

MD2: Angola v Malawi, South Sudan v Egypt

MD3: Angola v South Sudan, Egypt v Malawi

MD4: Malawi v Egypt, South Sudan v Angola

MD5: Angola v Egypt, South Sudan v Malawi

MD6: Egypt v South Sudan, Malawi v Angola

Group C:

MD1: Gambia v Somalia, Ivory Coast v Ghana

MD2: Ghana v Gambia, Somalia v Ivory Coast

MD3: Ghana v Somalia, Ivory Coast v Gambia

MD4: Gambia v Ivory Coast, Somalia v Ghana

MD5: Ghana v Ivory Coast, Somalia v Gambia

MD6: Gambia v Ghana, Ivory Coast v Somalia

Group D:

MD1: Kenya v Eritrea, South Africa v Guinea

MD2: Eritrea v South Africa, Guinea v Kenya

MD3: Guinea v Eritrea, South Africa v Kenya

MD4: Eritrea v Guinea, Kenya v South Africa

MD5: Eritrea v Kenya, Guinea v South Africa

MD6: Kenya v Guinea, South Africa v Eritrea

Group E:

MD1: DR Congo v Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone v Zimbabwe

MD2: Equatorial Guinea v Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe v DR Congo

MD3: DR Congo v Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea v Zimbabwe

MD4: Sierra Leone v DR Congo, Zimbabwe v Equatorial Guinea

MD5: Equatorial Guinea v DR Congo, Zimbabwe v Sierra Leone

MD6: DR Congo v Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone v Equatorial Guinea

Group F:

MD1: Burkina Faso v Benin, Mauritania v Central African Republic

MD2: Benin v Mauritania, Central African Republic v Burkina Faso

MD3: Benin v Central African Republic, Burkina Faso v Mauritania

MD4: Central African Republic v Benin, Mauritania v Burkina Faso

MD5: Benin v Burkina Faso, Central African Republic v Mauritania

MD6: Burkina Faso v Central African Republic, Mauritania v Benin

Group G:

MD1: Cameroon v Comoros, Namibia v Congo

MD2: Comoros v Namibia, Congo v Cameroon

MD3: Cameroon v Namibia, Comoros v Congo

MD4: Congo v Comoros, Namibia v Cameroon

MD5: Comoros v Cameroon, Congo v Namibia

MD6: Cameroon v Congo, Namibia v Comoros

Group H:

MD1: Libya v Botswana, Tunisia v Uganda

MD2: Botswana v Tunisia, Uganda v Libya

MD3: Tunisia v Libya, Uganda v Botswana

MD4: Botswana v Uganda, Libya v Tunisia

MD5: Botswana v Libya, Uganda v Tunisia

MD6: Libya v Uganda, Tunisia v Botswana

Group I:

MD1: Algeria v Zambia, Togo v Burundi

MD2: Burundi v Algeria, Zambia v Togo

MD3: Algeria v Togo, Zambia v Burundi

MD4: Burundi v Zambia, Togo v Algeria

MD5: Burundi v Togo, Zambia v Algeria

MD6: Algeria v Burundi, Togo v Zambia

Group J:

MD1: Senegal v Mozambique, Sudan v Ethiopia

MD2: Ethiopia v Senegal, Mozambique v Sudan

MD3: Mozambique v Ethiopia, Senegal v Sudan

MD4: Ethiopia v Mozambique, Sudan v Senegal

MD5: Ethiopia v Sudan, Mozambique v Senegal

MD6: Senegal v Ethiopia, Sudan v Mozambique

Group K:

MD1: Mali v Cape Verde, Rwanda v Liberia

MD2: Cape Verde v Rwanda, Liberia v Mali

MD3: Cape Verde v Liberia, Mali v Rwanda

MD4: Liberia v Cape Verde, Rwanda v Mali

MD5: Cape Verde v Mali, Liberia v Rwanda

MD6: Mali v Liberia, Rwanda v Cape Verde

Group L:

MD1: Nigeria v Madagascar, Tanzania v Guinea Bissau

MD2: Guinea Bissau v Nigeria, Madagascar v Tanzania

MD3: Madagascar v Guinea Bissau, Nigeria v Tanzania

MD4: Guinea Bissau v Madagascar, Tanzania v Nigeria

MD5: Guinea Bissau v Tanzania, Madagascar v Nigeria

MD6: Nigeria v Guinea Bissau, Tanzania v Madagascar