CAN 2027 qualifiers draw: Burkina Faso faces tough group with Bénin and Mauritania

The qualifying draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) was finalized in Cairo this Tuesday, setting the stage for the continent’s top football showdown. All 48 participating teams now know their rivals after being divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the tournament co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The qualification journey kicks off with the first two matchdays in September and October 2026, culminating in the final group fixtures scheduled for March 2027.

Full breakdown of the 12 qualification groups

Group A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho

Group B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan

Group C: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Gambia, Somalia

Group D: South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea

Group E: DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe

Group F: Burkina Faso, Bénin, Mauritania, Central African Republic

Group G: Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo

Group H: Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, Botswana

Group I: Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi

Group J: Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia

Group K: Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia

Group L: Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau