Just eight months on from the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) - and with the world still waiting to find out the ultimate destination of the title - the road to the 2027 tournament begins in earnest. The 48 sides still in contention will play two rounds of qualifying in this extended international window, which gets under way on Thursday. Two more matches follow in November, with the groups reaching their denouement with the final two fixtures in March.
The top two in nine of the 12 groups will progress to the 24-team finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Preparations for the tournament in East Africa may be lagging behind but, with the three hosts all guaranteed qualification, there is only one spot on offer in their respective groups. That means a second-placed finish may potentially not be enough.
Several managerial changes have occurred since the last Afcon in Morocco and this year's Fifa World Cup, while several star players have hung up their boots. Here's what to keep an eye on in the first two rounds of action. Senegal appeal date set after Afcon win overturned Among several coaching changes, two in particular have caught the eye.
Herve Renard, the only man to win Afcon with two different nations, has returned to the Ivory Coast job some 11 years after leading the West Africans to the title. The 57-year-old Frenchman starts his second stint with the Elephants at home against Ghana on Thursday in what is the standout match in the first round of fixtures. In the opposing dugout, the experienced Carlos Queiroz is back at the helm after leading the Black Stars to the last 32 at the World Cup.
However, Tottenham's Mohammed Kudus is among a number of players to withdraw from his squad. Patrick Vieira is another high-profile arrival, as the 1998 World Cup champion with France takes charge of Senegal, the country of his birth. The former Arsenal midfielder, 50, describes the role as "an absolute dream" yet he will begin with two away games against Mozambique and Ethiopia because Dakar is getting ready to host the 2026 Youth Olympics.
Africa prepares for historic Olympic moment at Dakar 2026 Cape Verde were one of the great stories of the 2026 World Cup, pushing Argentina all the way in the last 32 before the debutants lost 3-2 after extra time. Long-serving coach Bubista has since resigned from the Blue Sharks hotseat, with his former assistant Humberto Bettencourt stepping up. He will begin his reign in Mali on Friday before hosting Rwanda on Tuesday.
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