The route to the 2027 CAF Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt has been set, with 42 African nations entering a three-round qualification process for seven places alongside the hosts.
The qualifiers will run from September 2026 to March 2027 and will determine the eight-team field for the continental finals, which will also form part of Africa’s qualification pathway to the men’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
CAF conducted the draw at its headquarters in Cairo, with former Côte d’Ivoire international Abdoulaye Meite and former Egypt goalkeeper Nader El-Sayed assisting with proceedings.
First round brings regional match-ups
The first round features 28 teams in 14 home-and-away ties. Opening legs are scheduled for 20 September, with return fixtures on 6 October.
Among the standout ties, Tunisia face Benin in a North-versus-West African contest, while Kenya and Tanzania meet in an East African derby. Sierra Leone will play Burkina Faso, Mauritania face DR Congo, and São Tomé and Príncipe take on Equatorial Guinea.
The 14 winners will then join 14 seeded teams that received byes based on performances across the previous three editions of the competition.
Heavyweights enter in the second round
The second round introduces several of Africa’s established football nations. Zambia will meet the winner of Sierra Leone versus Burkina Faso, while Nigeria await the winner of Mauritania against DR Congo.
Ghana will begin against the winner of Togo versus Libya. Côte d’Ivoire will face the winner of Kenya versus Tanzania, Morocco will meet either Ethiopia or Uganda, Cameroon will face the winner of Rwanda against Sudan, and South Africa will take on either Comoros or Madagascar.
Niger, Gabon, Senegal, Congo, Guinea, Algeria and Mali are also among the teams entering at this stage.
The second-round first legs are scheduled for 9 November, with the return fixtures on 17 November.
Seven final ties will decide Egypt 2027 field
The 14 teams that emerge from the second round will advance to a decisive third round consisting of seven two-legged ties. Those matches will be played on 22 and 30 March 2027, with the seven aggregate winners qualifying for the finals alongside Egypt.
The format gives the qualifying campaign an added strategic importance because U-23 AFCON is connected to Africa’s Olympic ambitions.
African teams have a strong history in Olympic men’s football. Nigeria won gold at Atlanta 1996 and later added silver at Beijing 2008 and bronze at Rio 2016. Cameroon followed Nigeria’s breakthrough with gold at Sydney 2000, while Ghana became the first African nation to win an Olympic football medal when it took bronze at Barcelona 1992.
Youth tournament with wider significance
The U-23 competition occupies an important place in Africa’s player-development pathway. It gives emerging players international tournament experience at a stage when many are moving from youth football into senior national teams and professional club careers.
With 42 countries involved and only seven qualification places available, the road to Egypt will also provide an early test of the continent’s next generation ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Source
Confederation of African Football, 27 August 2026.
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