The road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) has officially started, with 48 teams competing for a spot in the 24-team finals set to be held in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. This expanded qualification process includes two rounds of matches in the current international window, with additional fixtures scheduled for November and March. The top two teams from nine of the 12 groups will qualify for the finals. The host nations—Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda—are automatically guaranteed a place, but only one spot is available in each of their groups, meaning a second-place finish might not be enough for advancement. Since the last Afcon in Morocco and the 2026 World Cup, several managerial changes have taken place. Herve Renard, who previously led Ivory Coast to Afcon victory, has returned to the Ivory Coast job after an 11-year absence. He will face Ghana in a standout match of the first round. Carlos Queiroz has taken charge of Ghana, having led the team to the last 32 at the World Cup. However, Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus has withdrawn from the squad. Patrick Vieira has been appointed as Senegal’s new coach, calling the role "an absolute dream," but he will start with two away games due to Dakar hosting the 2026 Youth Olympics. Other notable coaching changes include Humberto Bettencourt taking over from Bubista as coach of Cape Verde, Moin Chaaban appointed as Tunisia’s new coach, Pitso Mosimane reappointed by South Africa, and Brahim Hemdani taking over Algeria. Afcon legend Claude Le Roy, at 78 years old, has returned to Congo-Brazzaville, aiming to coach at a record-extending 10th edition of the finals. Amir Abdou has been appointed as coach of Burkina Faso, and Aliou Cisse has taken charge of Angola after a stint with Libya. Several high-profile players have retired from international football. Edouard Mendy has hung up his gloves, leaving Senegal in search of a new goalkeeper. Riyad Mahrez has also quit international football, while Ivory Coast will miss Seko Fofana and Jean-Michael Seri. Ellyes Skhiri has retired, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has stepped back from Gabon duty after feeling "humiliated" by his treatment following their exit at the previous tournament. Eritrea has returned to the group stage of Afcon qualifiers for the first time since the 2008 edition, defeating Eswatini 4-1 on aggregate. However, seven Eritrean players absconded after the away leg of their tie in South Africa. The team is now largely relying on players from the diaspora, with only three home-based players named in their squad for the opening fixtures. Somalia has reached the group stage for the first time, facing a challenging draw with Ivory Coast, Ghana, and The Gambia.