AFCON 2027, Club Competitions and Youth Tournaments Headline CAF’s 2026/27 Calendar
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released a busy calendar for the 2026/27 season, with the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), club competitions and youth tournaments among the major events.
The 2027 AFCON will be the biggest event on the calendar. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will jointly host the tournament from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
It will be the first time three countries will jointly host the men’s AFCON. The tournament will also return to East Africa and is expected to showcase the region’s football facilities and culture.
The road to AFCON 2027 is already underway, with 48 teams involved in the qualifying campaign. The teams have been divided into 12 groups, with matches scheduled for September and October 2026, November 2026 and March 2027.
Club competitions begin in September
The 2026/27 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup will begin in September.
The first preliminary rounds are scheduled for September 4 to 6, with the return legs set for the following weekend.
The second preliminary round will take place in October, while the group stages are expected to begin in late November and run until January 2027.
The knockout stages will start in February, with the finals of both competitions scheduled between May 9 and 31, 2027.
The winners of the Champions League and Confederation Cup will also meet in the CAF Super Cup.
The 2026 Super Cup will see Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa face USM Alger of Algeria.
Youth football remains important
Youth competitions will also play a major role in CAF’s plans.
Ghana will host the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, which will feature 12 teams. The top four teams will qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Ghana, a four-time U-20 AFCON winner, will host the competition for only the second time after staging the tournament in 1999.
CAF is also continuing to develop its U-17 competition. Morocco hosted the 2026 U-17 AFCON under a new format that brought matches, training and team activities together at the Mohammed VI Football Complex.
The 2026/27 calendar will also include the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, which serves as Africa’s qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games.
Futsal and beach soccer included
CAF’s programme will also feature futsal and beach soccer competitions.
Morocco is scheduled to host the Futsal AFCON, while Senegal will host the Beach Soccer AFCON. CAF’s calendar lists the futsal tournament for October and the beach soccer competition for November, although some dates are still subject to final confirmation.
CAF is also looking at new competitions, including a possible U-17 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and an African Nations League.
The proposed competitions could provide more opportunities for young players and national teams across the continent.
Busy season ahead
The 2026/27 calendar shows the growing number of competitions in African football.
With the Champions League, Confederation Cup, AFCON 2027 and several youth, futsal and beach soccer tournaments, clubs and national teams face another busy season.
A more organised calendar could help clubs plan their domestic campaigns and allow national teams to prepare better. It could also give broadcasters and commercial partners more certainty.
However, CAF will have to manage the workload on players and clubs and avoid clashes between domestic, continental and international competitions.
The 2026/27 season promises to be one of the busiest in African football, with the historic AFCON 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda set to bring the campaign to a major conclusion.
