Nigeria will head into the qualification campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) against Madagascar, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducted the official draw for the qualifying stage of the tournament.
The draw, which determines the road to the expanded 2027 finals co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, saw 48 nations divided into four pots of 12 teams each.
Each group contains one team from each pot, with the top two nations in every group set to qualify for the finals.
Defending champions Morocco were placed in Group A alongside Gabon, Niger and Lesotho
South Africa, boosted by recent progress under Hugo Broos, also received a favourable draw and will compete in Group D.
A notable storyline in Group D is the meeting between South Africa and hosts Kenya, coached by former South African international Benni McCarthy, adding an emotional edge to the fixture.
Other headline clashes include a heavyweight Group C pairing of Ghana and Ivory Coast, a repeat of the 2015 AFCON final.
The qualifying campaign is scheduled to begin in September 2026 and will run until March 2027.
FULL DRAW – AFCON 2027
Group A
Morocco
Gabon
Niger
Lesotho
Group B
Egypt
Angola
Malawi
South Sudan
Group C
Ivory Coast
Ghana
Gambia
Somalia
Group D
South Africa
Guinea
Kenya
Eritrea
