AFCON qualifiers to kick off as decision on last winners awaited

A new cycle of Africa Cup of Nations competition gets under way in earnest on Thursday as group qualifiers for the 2027 finals kick off, with the winners of the last ​edition still in dispute.

A total of 48 countries are divided into 12 groups and begin ‌a six-round qualifying process running to March next year, with the top two in nine of the groups advancing to the finals.

The tournament is being co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, who are also competing in the qualifiers. In the groups in ​which they play, only one other side will go through to the 24-team tournament, which will ​take place from June 19-July 17.

However, with the finals less than a year away, ⁠the continent still awaits a decision on the last Cup of Nations decider in Morocco in January.

Senegal beat ​the hosts in the final but because they walked off the pitch in a 14-minute protest towards the ​end, they were stripped of the title and it was handed to Morocco.

Senegal have appealed against the Confederation of African Football's decision and it will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 8.

Morocco went on to be the ​best-performing African side at the World Cup, reaching the quarter-finals, and begin their Cup of Nations Group A ​qualifiers at home to Gabon in Rabat before facing Lesotho on September 29 in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

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Lesotho are one of 12 countries forced to play home games at a neutral venue because they do not have a stadium that Africa's governing body CAF deems adequate for international competition.

Senegal have switched their home fixture against Mozambique because of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and start their Group J campaign in Maputo ​on Friday, with Patrick ​Vieira their new coach after ⁠a disappointing World Cup. Sadio Mane is one of several previously key players not in his first squad.

Tunisia were the only one of 10 African countries at ​the World Cup who did not get past the first round and have ​also made many ⁠changes with only 14 players retained from this year's tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.

New coach Moin Chaabani debuts against Uganda in Group H on Thursday as Tunisia look to extend their record number of successive finals ⁠appearances to ​18.

The opening round of games features a heavyweight derby between Ivory ​Coast and Ghana in Group C on Thursday, while South Africa's clash with Guinea in Johannesburg on Saturday is also vital for ​both countries even at the start of the campaign.