CAF AFCON 2027 Qualification Draw: Start Time, Legends Confirmed For Cairo Ceremony
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that legends Max-Alain Gradel, William Troost-Ekong, Essam El Hadary, and Trésor Mputu will assist with the qualification draw for the historic 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The draw will take place in Cairo on Tuesday, 19 May.
The qualification draw ceremony will be held at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association from 15:00 local time (12:00 GMT) and will be broadcast live on CAF TV.
The 2027 AFCON tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, and is scheduled to run from 19 June to 17 July 2027.
It will mark the first time that three nations have co-hosted the competition and the return of the continental finals to East Africa after a 51-year absence.
The 48 teams involved in the qualifiers will be drawn into 12 groups, with the top two teams from each pool qualifying for the finals.
Although Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania will participate in the qualifiers, they have already secured automatic qualification as co-hosts. As a result, one additional team from each of their groups will qualify for the tournament.
Assisting with the ceremony will be four of the most iconic figures in African football, each with a distinguished history in the AFCON tournament.
Gradel enjoyed a successful club career in England, France, and Turkey, most notably with AS Saint-Étienne, where he became a fan favourite because of his pace, direct style, and eye for goal.
He represented Ivory Coast at multiple AFCON tournaments and FIFA World Cups, winning the continental title in both 2015 and 2023.
Troost-Ekong played key roles for Nigeria at several AFCON tournaments and FIFA World Cups, captaining the side and regularly contributing important goals despite being a defender. He was named Player of the Tournament at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where the Super Eagles finished runners-up.
El Hadary is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers African football has ever produced. He enjoyed an extraordinary career spanning more than two decades and became synonymous with success for both club and country.
His international legacy remains unmatched for a goalkeeper on the continent. El Hadary won four AFCON titles with Egypt and played a defining role in their historic run of three consecutive titles between 2006 and 2010. In 2018, at the age of 45, he became the oldest player ever to appear at the FIFA World Cup.
Trésor Mputu is the all-time top goalscorer in CAF club tournament history (with over 40 goals).
