Rwanda placed in Group K Alongside Mali and Cape Verde
The Rwanda national football team, Amavubi, have been drawn against Mali, Cape Verde and Liberia in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The draw ceremony was held on Tuesday in Cairo and featured several African football legends, including Max-Alain Gradel, William Troost-Ekong, Essam El Hadary and Trésor Mputu.
Rwanda had been placed in Pot Three among the 48 nations participating in the qualification campaign for the continental tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.
The Amavubi were grouped with Liberia, a side that recently appointed Moroccan coach Adil Mohamed, formerly of APR FC, as head coach. Rwanda will also face a strong Cape Verde side that already secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as well as Mali, one of the continent’s top-ranked national teams.
Football analysts have described Group K as competitive but balanced, with Rwanda expected to battle strongly for qualification despite facing experienced opponents.
According to the qualification schedule, the first and second matchdays will be played between September 21 and October 6, 2026. The third and fourth rounds are scheduled for November 9 to 17, 2026, while the final two rounds will take place between March 22 and 30, 2027.
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027, marking the first time the tournament will be jointly hosted by the three East African nations.
