sports

Super Eagles Await Crucial AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Draw

Published

5 months ago

May 18, 2026

AFCON 2027 qualifiers draw holds Tuesday as Nigeria prepare to discover opponents for the continental tournament

Three-time African champions Nigeria national football team will discover their opponents for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers on Tuesday when the Confederation of African Football conducts the official draw in Cairo.

Also read: Eniola Aluko Defends Super Eagles After World Cup Failure

The qualifying draw will take place at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association ahead of the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda between June 19 and July 17, 2027.

Tagged AFCON PAMOJA 2027, the competition will mark the first time in history that three countries will co-host the Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria heads into the AFCON 2027 qualifiers with an impressive pedigree, having won the continental title in 1980, 1994 and 2013. The Super Eagles also finished runners-up in the 2023 edition and claimed third place in 2025.

CAF confirmed that 48 teams, including the three host nations, will participate in the qualification series.

The governing body said the teams would be divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two sides in each group qualifying automatically for the finals.

However, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have already secured automatic qualification as co-hosts, meaning only one additional team will progress from each of their respective groups.

The qualification campaign will be played across three FIFA international windows between September 2026 and March 2027.

CAF stated that matchdays one and two are scheduled for September 21 to October 6, 2026, while rounds three and four will take place from November 9 to 17, 2026.

The final round of qualification fixtures is expected to hold between March 22 and 30, 2027.

CAF added that the tournament represents a transformative opportunity for the host nations beyond football, particularly in infrastructure development, tourism growth and international investment.

“Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda view AFCON 2027 as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate infrastructure development, tourism and international investment while showcasing East Africa’s culture and passion for the game on the continental stage,” CAF said.

Also read: Morocco, Senegal Close In on Super Eagles World Cup Record

The expanded tournament is expected to attract massive continental attention as Africa’s football powers battle for qualification spots in one of the sport’s most prestigious competitions.

Related Topics:AFCON 2027 Africa Cup of Nations CAF featured Nigeria Football Super Eagles

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Opinion

Why Are Football Fans Expecting Trophy Haul from Man City’s 114 Breaches?

Published

12 hours ago

September 30, 2026

Mariam Balogun

By Tai Emeka Obasi,

It is exceedingly terrible for clubs operating in a league as supremely elite as the English Premier League, EPL, to fraudulently cheat themselves to massive success.

Also read: NFF Appeals CAF Ruling on Edo Queens’ WAFU-B Victory

Rules are rules, and supposedly responsible club managements should comply with them in administering a game termed the beautiful game.

Manchester City is currently in the eye of the storm for all the wrong reasons.

A whopping 115 breaches were brought against the club, with reports now indicating that an independent commission found City guilty of 114 of them.

The club, however, maintains that the Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.

Manchester City chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, has appealed to the fans to remain calm and faithful, insisting that the club will continue to defend its position and pursue the available legal process.

According to reports, Manchester City is expected to appeal the verdict. The sanctions have not yet been announced, and the possible consequences could include a heavy fine, points deduction, stripping of titles or even relegation.

From the available reporting, however, there is no basis for football fans to start celebrating the prospect of receiving Manchester City’s trophies.

Even if titles were eventually stripped, the relevant period under investigation is 2009 to 2018.

During that period, Manchester City won three Premier League titles, in 2011/12, 2013/14 and 2017/18, as well as three League Cups, in 2013/14, 2015/16 and 2017/18.

That immediately puts a different complexion on the matter.

For instance, Manchester United finished runners-up to City in the 2011/12 and 2017/18 Premier League seasons, while Liverpool finished second in 2013/14.

But whether those titles would actually be reassigned to the runners-up is another matter entirely.

There is no automatic rule that says a stripped title simply moves to the team that finished second. Any such outcome would depend on the eventual sanction imposed by the relevant authorities.

The same applies to Arsenal and the League Cup. Arsenal were beaten by City in the 2018 final, but that does not mean Arsenal would automatically inherit the trophy if City were sanctioned.

Expert opinion has suggested that the eventual punishment could include a substantial financial penalty and a huge points deduction, potentially severe enough to threaten City with relegation.

But until the sanction is formally determined, nobody can say with certainty what punishment Manchester City will receive.

For Gunners fans, therefore, we should lower our expectations from City’s debacle. Even if Manchester City are eventually found guilty after the appeal process and even if they are relegated, Arsenal will not stroll to this season’s title.

Our last match against Brighton and Hove Albion is a huge warning that our squad is not as complete as it is generally acclaimed to be.