CAF announced this in a statement on Sunday, confirming that the draw ceremony will take place at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in Cairo.

According to CAF, the event will set the stage for 48 national teams to discover their qualification paths to the finals of a tournament already generating major anticipation before kick-off.

The statement added that the draw officially ushers in the next phase of the competition, which CAF says is designed to promote unity across the region under the theme “PAMOJA”, a Swahili word meaning “together.”

The 2027 edition, tagged AFCON PAMOJA, is scheduled for June 19 to July 17, 2027, and will be the first time the tournament is hosted jointly by three countries. It also marks AFCON’s return to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted it in 1976.

CAF explained that the 48 participating teams will be divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two teams in each group qualifying automatically. However, due to automatic qualification for the host nations, only one additional team from each of their groups will advance.

The body also outlined that the qualifying matches will be played across three FIFA international windows between September 2026 and March 2027.

Fixtures for matchdays one and two are scheduled between 21 September and 6 October 2026, while rounds three and four will take place from 9 to 17 November 2026. The final round of qualifiers will be held from 22 to 30 March 2027.

CAF noted that traditional powerhouses such as Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa are expected to be strong contenders, though recent campaigns have shown increasing competitiveness across the continent.

It also highlighted the rise of smaller nations like Comoros and Gambia, pointing to a growing balance in African football.

For the host nations, CAF said the tournament represents more than sport, describing it as a major opportunity to boost infrastructure, tourism, and investment while showcasing East Africa’s culture and passion for football on a global stage.

Fresh off her gold-medal performance at the African Senior Athletics Championships in Ghana earlier in the week, Amusan produced a season’s best of 12.41s in a highly competitive field at the opening leg of the Diamond League.

Olympic champion Masai Russell stole the spotlight with a commanding run, setting a meeting record and a world-leading 12.25s, improving on her previous best of 12.40s. Bahamian hurdler Devynne Charlton came in second with 12.38s, delivering one of her strongest outdoor performances.

Amusan, whose world record of 12.12s remains the fastest ever recorded in the event, showed significant improvement from the 12.84s she ran while winning in Accra just days earlier.

The race featured a strong lineup including reigning world champion Ditaji Kambundji, Jamaican athletes Megan Simmonds and Ackera Nugent, China’s Wu Yanni, and American hurdlers Tonea Marshall and Danielle Williams.

Kambundji finished fifth in 12.82s, while Nugent placed sixth in 12.98s. Marshall and Williams were unable to complete the race.

Following her win in Accra, Amusan had expressed optimism about her season, posting on X that she remained grateful, motivated, and focused on continuing her progress as the campaign unfolds.