AFCON 2027: Africa’s stars assemble

by AHMED MOOLAH
CAIRO, (CAJ News) – AFRICA’S road to the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 begins this week, with 48 nations entering the group stage for the tournament to be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027.

Matchday One runs from 24 to 26 September, followed by Matchday Two through 6 October.

The opening window is significant because most groups offer only two qualifying places, while groups containing co-hosts Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania provide only one additional ticket.

That makes every early point valuable.

South Africa have assembled a 30-man squad under returning coach Pitso Mosimane, including overseas-based defenders Samkelo Kabini (Molde, Norway), Olwethu Makhanya (Rangers, Scotland), Ime Okon (Hannover 96, Germany), Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela, Portugal), Puso Dithejane (Chicago Fire, USA), Relebohile Mofokeng (Union Saint-Gilloise, Belgium), Thapelo Maseko (FC Copenhagen, Denmark), Luther Singh (AEL Limassol, Cyprus) and Shandre Campbell (KV Kortrijk, Belgium).

South Africa face Guinea and Eritrea.

Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi and Botswana also enter the campaign, with particularly demanding fixtures.

Zambia face Algeria, Zimbabwe meet Sierra Leone and then DR Congo, Namibia play Congo, Mozambique face Senegal and Sudan, Malawi meet South Sudan and Botswana face Libya before Tunisia.

Elsewhere Kenya, already qualified as co-hosts, have nonetheless called a competitive squad led by Michael Olunga, while Uganda have selected overseas-based players including Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns), Toby Sibbick (Burton Albion), Rogers Torach (CS Constantine), Aziz Kayondo (Slovan Liberec), Herbert Bockhorn (Magdeburg), Nathan Asiimwe (Salford City), Baba Alhassan (Mardin 1996 Spor), Noble Okello (Lexington), Allan Oyirwoth (Dunfermline), James Bogere (AGF), Travis Mutyaba (CS Sfaxien), Rogers Mato (Hearts), Sadam Masereka (Colorado Springs), Steven Mukwala (Al-Nasr) and Hassan Mubiru (Azam).

Uganda meet Tunisia and Libya.

Tanzania are automatically qualified but are participating competitively, beginning against Guinea-Bissau.

Morocco have begun a new cycle under Mohamed Ouahbi, introducing youngsters Abdellah Ouazane, Soufian El Faouzi and Yassir Zabiri while retaining a strong international core.

They face Gabon and Lesotho. Algeria, meanwhile, retain overseas stars including Ramy Bensebaini, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Nabil Bentaleb, Mohamed Amoura and Amine Gouiri, while Egypt face Angola.

DR Congo face Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon meet Comoros, while Central African Republic face Mauritania before Burkina Faso.

Gabon enter without retired captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but retain **Denis Bouanga, Mario Lemina and Guélor Kanga.

The region produces one of the weekend’s biggest clashes: Côte d’Ivoire v Ghana.

Ghana have recalled Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham), Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City), Jordan Ayew (Sheffield United), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Ipswich Town), Ernest Nuamah (Lyon), Ibrahim Osman (Brighton), Alexander Djiku (Spartak Moscow) and several other overseas professionals.

Nigeria have Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze, although Victor Osimhen has subsequently been ruled out through injury.

Senegal begin the Patrick Vieira era with Nicolas Jackson, Iliman Ndiaye, Ismaïla Sarr, Kalidou Koulibaly and Pape Matar Sarr, although Sadio Mané is absent.

Burkina Faso retain Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba, while Benin have called prolific Latvia-based striker Joseph Ede Oloko.

AFCON is more than a continental championship. It is Africa’s premier international football platform, bringing together the continent’s strongest football cultures, showcasing African talent to global audiences and providing players with a stage on which careers can be transformed.

PAMOJA 2027 carries additional importance because it returns AFCON to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted the tournament in 1976 and will be the first edition jointly hosted by three nations. Confédération Africaine de Football

The opening matches therefore represent more than three points.

They begin a continental journey that will test squad depth, coaching strategies, overseas experience and the ability of Africa’s football nations to perform under pressure.

– CAJ News