Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy is set for an emotional reunion with his home nation South Africa after the draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers was conducted in Cairo on Tuesday.
The former Bafana Bafana striker, now leading Stars, headlines one of the most intriguing storylines of the qualification campaign after Kenya was placed in Group D alongside South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea.
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A total of 48 nations were drawn into 12 groups, with the top two teams in each pool ordinarily qualifying for the tournament finals. However, the equation changes for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, who have already secured automatic qualification as co-hosts of the 2027 AFCON.
As a result, only one additional team from each of their groups will book a place at the finals, significantly increasing the stakes in every match.
For McCarthy, the clash against South Africa carries extra significance. The 47-year-old remains Bafana Bafana’s all-time leading scorer with 31 goals and is regarded as one of the greatest players in the country’s history.
His deep understanding of South African football is expected to add another layer of intensity when the two sides meet.
Elsewhere, defending champions Morocco were drawn in Group A with Gabon, Niger and Lesotho, while record champions Egypt will face Angola, Malawi and South Sudan in Group B.
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Group C features a heavyweight West African contest involving Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia and Somalia. Cameroon headline Group G alongside Comoros, Namibia and Congo, while Algeria take on Zambia, Togo and Burundi in Group I.
Nigeria were placed in Group L with Madagascar, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau, while Senegal will battle Mozambique, Sudan and Ethiopia in Group J.
The qualifiers will be played across three international windows between September 2026 and March 2027 as teams’ battle for places at the continental showpiece.
Full Groups
• GROUP A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
• GROUP B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
• GROUP C: Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Somalia
• GROUP D: South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea
• GROUP E: DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
• GROUP F: Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic
• GROUP G: Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo
• GROUP H: Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, Botswana
• GROUP I: Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi
• GROUP J: Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia
• GROUP K: Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia
• GROUP L: Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau
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