CAF conducts 2027 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying draw

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has conducted the qualifying draw for the 2027 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, to be held in Egypt. A total of 43 nations are involved, with Egypt automatically qualifying as the host. The remaining 42 teams will compete for seven available spots through three rounds of home-and-away matches.

Fourteen teams, including Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, and Mali, have been granted byes to the second round based on their performance in previous editions. These teams have been divided into two pots: Pot 5 contains the highest-ranked exempted sides, while Pot 4 contains the lower-ranked exempted teams. The qualifying tournament also serves as the pathway for African nations to qualify for the men’s football competition at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In addition to the U-23 qualifiers, CAF is implementing safety and security training programs across the continent. A recent workshop in Lomé, Togo, focused on professionalizing crowd management and stadium security through scientific data and strategic command centers to modernize match organization.