The road to AFCON Pamoja 2027 is entering rough water. From Thursday 12 to Tuesday 17 November, the 48 teams spread across twelve groups return for Matchdays 3 and 4 of the qualifiers. The format leaves little room for error: every side meets the same opponent twice within a few days, once at home and once away. At the halfway stage, two bad results can be enough to wreck an entire campaign.
In Benin, all eyes are on Group F. Unbeaten after two outings, the Cheetahs have 4 points, level with Burkina Faso. They open their double header against the Central African Republic this Thursday, 12 November, at 8pm (GMT+1), before travelling to face the same opponents on Monday 16 at 5pm. Bottom of the group without a single point, the Central Africans start as clear underdogs. Two wins would leave Benin in a very comfortable position, and some observers believe qualification could even be sealed during this window. Burkina Faso have a far trickier assignment against Mauritania, third on 3 points, whom they host on the 13th at 5pm before the return leg on the 17th at 8pm.
Among the fixtures highlighted by CAF, Côte d’Ivoire against Gambia stands out. Fresh from a 2-0 win over Ghana on the opening day, the Elephants welcome the Scorpions on 12 November at 8pm, then head to Gambia on the 17th at 5pm. That same Thursday night, Dakar will be buzzing for Senegal against Sudan. The Lions have only 4 points, level with Mozambique, and Sudan sit just behind on 3, so the return leg on the 16th at 2pm promises plenty of tension.
Mali take on Rwanda on 13 November at 8pm, with the return in Kigali on the 17th at the same time. In Group D, South Africa look the team to beat after a perfect start (6 points). Bafana Bafana host Kenya on the 13th at 5pm and visit them on the 17th at 5pm. As co-hosts of the finals, Kenya are already qualified but have collected just one point so far.
Guinea, for their part, can no longer afford a slip after losing to the South Africans. Second on 3 points, the Syli Nationale play Eritrea on the 12th at 5pm and again on the 16th at 5pm, without Serhou Guirassy, Saïdou Sow or Soumaïla Sylla, all ruled out. Only two wins will keep the pressure on the leaders.
Elsewhere, the heavyweights are looking to confirm their status. Morocco, with a perfect record, meet Niger on the 13th at 9pm and away on the 17th at 9pm. Egypt, top of Group B, face Malawi on the 13th at 8pm and the 17th at 2pm, while Algeria (4 points) lock horns with Togo on the 14th at 8pm and the 17th at 5pm. DR Congo, the only other side on 6 points alongside Morocco and South Africa, host Sierra Leone on the 12th at 5pm. In that same Group E, Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea, both on 3 points, will battle for second place head to head. Cameroon, leaders of Group G, meet Namibia on the 12th at 8pm, Nigeria welcome Tanzania on the 13th at 5pm, and Tunisia take on Libya in a North African derby the same day.
Once this window closes, only two matchdays will remain, scheduled for 22 to 30 March 2027. The points won this week will weigh heavily when the list of qualifiers for the finals is drawn up, with the tournament set for 19 June to 17 July 2027 in East Africa.
All kick-off times are Lagos and Cotonou time (GMT+1).