Harambee Stars learn AFCON 2027 qualifier path as race to East Africa finals takes shape
.jpeg)
Reading Time: 3min | Sun. 24.05.26. | 07:45
Kenya, who will co-host the tournament alongside Uganda and Tanzania from 19 June to 17 July, 2027, have been pooled in Group D alongside South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea
Harambee Stars now know the exact route they will take in the qualification campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after CAF confirmed the fixtures for the preliminaries involving the East African co-hosts.
Download our Mozzart Sport app for more news
Kenya, who will co-host the tournament alongside Uganda and Tanzania from 19 June to 17 July, 2027, have been pooled in Group D alongside South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea.
Despite already securing automatic qualification for the finals as hosts, Harambee Stars will still participate in the qualifiers as part of preparations for the continental showpiece.
However, only one other team from the group will secure qualification to the finals, effectively turning the pool into a fierce battle between South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea.
The fixtures hand Benni McCarthy’s side a home clash against Eritrea on Matchday One, a fixture that revives memories of the painful 2008 AFCON qualifying campaign where Eritrea dealt Kenya a major setback.
Harambee Stars will kick off their 2027 AFCON qualification campaign with a home clash against Eritrea in Nairobi.
— Ole Teya (@TeyaKevin) May 24, 2026
Despite already securing automatic qualification for the tournament as co-hosts, Kenya will still participate in the qualifiers.
Group D fixtures:
MD1: Kenya vs… pic.twitter.com/hIEp5b8vmP
The opening two rounds of matches will be played during the FIFA international window between 21 September and 6 October this year.
After opening at home, Harambee Stars will travel away to Guinea for Matchday Two before a highly anticipated double-header against South Africa in November.
Bafana Bafana will host the first meeting before the return leg is staged in Nairobi on Matchday Four in what is expected to be one of the biggest qualification fixtures involving the hosts.
Kenya will then travel to Eritrea in March next year before wrapping up the campaign at home against Guinea.
South Africa also faces a difficult path after being handed an opening fixture at home against Guinea before traveling to Eritrea.
Their clash against Kenya could ultimately determine who joins the East African hosts at the finals.
Eritrea remains one of the major talking points in the group after recently returning to competitive football for the first time in over six years.
The side booked their place in the group phase with a surprise aggregate victory over Eswatini in the preliminary round.
However, reports indicate several Eritrean players later sought political asylum in South Africa following the matches, with uncertainty still surrounding the team’s long-term participation in the qualifiers.
Elsewhere, Nigeria begin their campaign at home against Madagascar before traveling to Guinea-Bissau.
The Super Eagles will then face Tanzania in back-to-back matches in November before concluding against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in March next year.
Ghana’s Black Stars face arguably the toughest opening fixture after being drawn away to Ivory Coast before hosting Gambia.
They will then play Somalia twice in November before closing their campaign against Ivory Coast and Gambia.
Group D fixtures:
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