Cup of Nations qualifiers to kick off as decision on last winners awaited

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 22 - A new cycle of Africa Cup of Nations competition gets under way in earnest on Thursday as group qualifiers for the 2027 finals kick off, with the winners of the last edition still in dispute.

A total of 48 countries are divided into 12 groups and begin a six-round qualifying process running to March next year, with the top two in nine of the groups advancing to the finals.

The tournament is being co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, who are also competing in the qualifiers. In the groups in which they play, only one other side will go through to the 24-team tournament, which will take place from June 19-July 17.

However, with the finals less than a year away, the continent still awaits a decision on the last Cup of Nations decider in Morocco in January.