Confederation of African Football (CAF) don release details for di preliminary round of di 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, even as kontroversy still dey for di 2025 edition wey just end. According to statement wey CAF publish for dia website, di draw for di prelim round don happen for Morocco before di AFCON 2025 tournament start. Twelve African kontris wey dey for di lowest ranking go face each oda for home-and-away matches from March 25 to March 31, 2025. Di six winners from dis preliminary round go join di oda 42 African kontris wey already qualify for di main qualifiers.
Di twelve kontris wey go participate for di preliminary round na Eritrea, Eswatini, Lesotho, Seychelles, Djibouti, South Sudan, Somalia, Mauritius, Chad, Burundi, Sao Tome e Principe and Ethiopia. Dis kontris go compete for six slots wey go make dem join di bigger teams for di main qualifiers. Di matches go hold across different stadiums for Africa, including some neutral venues because of stadium standards or security concerns.
For di schedule wey CAF release, Eritrea go face Eswatini for March 25 at Stade d'Honneur for Meknès, Morocco, while di return leg go hold for March 31 at Somhlolo National Stadium for Lobamba, Eswatini. Seychelles go host Lesotho for March 26 at Free State Stadium for Bloemfontein, South Africa, with di return match for March 29 at di same venue. Djibouti go play South Sudan for March 26 at Juba Stadium for Juba, South Sudan, and di return leg go hold for March 29 at di same stadium.
Somalia go host Mauritius for March 27 at Lalgy Arena for Matola, Mozambique, while Mauritius go host di return match for March 31 at National Sports Complex for Saint Pierre, Mauritius. Chad go face Burundi for March 27 at Stade Olympique for N'Djamena, Chad, with di return leg for March 31 at Stade Intwari for Bujumbura, Burundi. Sao Tome e Principe go host Ethiopia for March 27 at Ben M’Hamed El Abdi Stadium for El Jadida, Morocco, while Ethiopia go host di return match for March 31 at Dire Dawa Stadium for Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.
Di 2027 AFCON tournament, wey dem dey call “Pamoja 2027 edition,” go hold from June to July 2027 and go co-hosted by three East African kontris: Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. However, reports from Tuko indicate say Kenya dey face possible elimination as one of di hosts unless dem meet mandatory payment of $30 million hosting fee before March 30, 2026 deadline. Tanzania and Uganda don reportedly fulfill dis condition, but Kenyan sports ministry don assure fans say government go meet di deadline.
Dis hosting concerns come afta di East African neighbours face issues when dem host di African Nations Championship (CHAN) for 2025, wey lead to postponement from February to August. Di Pamoja 2027 edition go mark di first time three kontris go co-host AFCON tournament, and success go depend on proper planning and funding from all three hosts.
Di release of di 2027 qualifiers details come amid ongoing kontroversy over di 2025 AFCON edition. CAF’s Disciplinary Board initially fine both Senegal and Morocco afta di final match disruption for January 18, 2025, but Morocco appeal make CAF award dem di title. Senegal don launch appeal against CAF Appeal Board verdict at di Court of Arbitration for Sports to reverse di ruling and reaffirm dem as champions.
CAF don update dia website to replace Senegal with Morocco as di AFCON 2025 winners, following di Appeals Board decision. Dis kontroversy don create tension for African football community, with many fans and analysts questioning di consistency of CAF’s disciplinary processes.
For di main qualifiers wey go follow di preliminary round, di 48 African kontris (42 automatic qualifiers plus 6 preliminary winners) go compete for 24 slots for di final tournament. Di qualifiers go hold across 2025 and 2026, with di final tournament scheduled for June-July 2027. CAF don emphasize say all matches must follow strict regulations regarding stadium standards, security arrangements and anti-doping protocols.
African football fans dey look forward to di qualifiers as opportunity for smaller kontris like Djibouti, South Sudan and Sao Tome e Principe to make history by qualifying for dia first AFCON tournament. Di preliminary round matches go broadcast across Africa and internationally, with CAF partnering with various broadcasters to ensure maximum coverage.
As preparations continue, CAF don warn all participating kontris to ensure proper preparation and compliance with all competition regulations. Di governing body don also announce say dem go monitor all matches closely to ensure fairness and transparency throughout di qualification process.
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