Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong will take centre stage on Tuesday when he joins other African legends to conduct the qualification draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Confederation of African Football confirmed the defender as one of the draw assistants in a post on X on Monday, alongside Max-Alain Gradel, Essam El Hadary and Trésor Mputu.
“African legends on draw duty,” CAF wrote.
“Meet tomorrow’s AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Draw assistants: Max-Alain Gradel, William Troost-Ekong, Essam El Hadary, and Trésor Mputu.”
The draw, which will determine Nigeria’s qualification pathway for the tournament co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, will feature 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four, with only the top two from each group advancing to the finals.
The campaign for the three-time African champions will be closely watched following second and third-place finishes in the last two tournaments, with expectations high that the Super Eagles will secure a strong start to their qualification journey.
The six-match qualifying series will be played across three FIFA international windows between 2026 and 2027, placing emphasis on squad depth and consistency over an extended period.
The 2027 edition will mark AFCON’s return to East Africa for the first time since 1976, introducing new logistical challenges such as travel across multiple host nations and varied playing conditions.
CAF has described the expanded qualification process as part of its continued effort to build on the commercial and global growth of recent tournaments, with African football’s visibility and competitiveness on the rise.
The Super Eagles’ route to PAMOJA 2027 will officially begin when the groups are confirmed on Tuesday.
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