SPORTS: CAF Introduces New Format For AFCON Qualifiers After Super Eagles World Cup Exit
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is moving ahead with major changes to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification structure, even as the Super Eagles continue to deal with the disappointment of missing the 2026 World Cup.
With preparations already underway for the 2027 AFCON set to be jointly hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, CAF has unveiled a new format designed to involve every African country in the race to qualify.
The 2027 tournament will be historic. It is the first time three East African countries will host AFCON together, and CAF believes the new format will give all nations a fairer chance.
The previous system, which included preliminary rounds for lower–ranked teams, has now been scrapped. Instead, all countries will join the qualifiers from the same starting point.
Under the new structure, the qualifiers will feature 13 groups made up of either three or four teams. DR Congo, fresh off winning the African final of the World Cup playoff, will be placed in a three-team group.
Matches will begin in March 2026. The top team in each group will automatically book a ticket to AFCON 2027, joined by the three best runners-up across all groups.
For the remaining ten runners-up, qualification will not end there. They will move into a special playoff round, where five teams will fight their way into the final tournament lineup, completing the list of 24 nations that will compete in East Africa.
CAF has set December 19 as the date for the official draw. Meanwhile, attention is also turning toward the 2025 edition, which will be hosted in Morocco from December 21 to January 18. It will be the first AFCON to take place during the Christmas and New Year season.
As fans wait for the qualifiers to begin, the Super Eagles are still aiming to remind Africa of their strength. Captain William Troost-Ekong recently highlighted the teams he believes could stand in Nigeria’s way in the 2025 edition, noting that the squad is hungry for a fourth continental title after coming close in the last tournament.
CAF also released its list of 94 referees selected to officiate at AFCON 2025, though no Nigerian officials made the cut this time.
The lineup includes 33 referees, 36 assistant referees, and 11 VAR officials who will undergo preparatory training ahead of the competition.
