Lesotho Football Association Likuena coach Bob Mafoso has embraced the draw for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Pamoja 2027, where Lesotho has been paired in Group A against Morocco, Gabon and Niger.
Mafoso feels the draw is fair and gives the Kingdom a chance to dig deep in its ambition to qualify for the prestigious continental showpiece.
“I think this is a draw where every team in the group believes it can qualify and it also gives us hope that, for the first time, we can make it to AFCON,” Mafoso said.
The qualifiers, culminating in finals hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027, will run across three FIFA windows: 21 Sept – 6 Oct 2026, 9 – 17 Nov 2026, and 22 – 30 March 2027.
*Two slots, no hosts in the group*
From 12 groups of four, the top two qualify. Mafoso sees Lesotho’s group as an advantage because none of the co-hosts are in it:
“I think we were unlucky in previous AFCON qualifiers because we were grouped with hosts where only one slot was available, but this time around we are in a group with two qualification slots and that increases our chances.”
*Respect every opponent*
Morocco will be the toughest test as Africa’s top-ranked side and a 2026 World Cup team. But Mafoso isn’t intimidated:
“Morocco is a big team, but we have played against them before, and we did fairly well in one match where we only lost 1-0. Playing against them also comes with opportunities because if we do well, we market ourselves and our players.”
He’s also wary of the mental hurdle against “beatable” teams:
“We must prepare well and respect every opponent. Recently, we have performed well against big teams but struggled against sides we believed we could beat, and I think that comes down to the players’ mentality and approach towards different opponents, which we have to improve.”
*LeFA pledges full backing*
LeFA Secretary-General Mokhosi Mohapi agrees the draw is fair and says the association is ready to fund the campaign:
“In terms of resources, it is going to cost us quite a bit because we will be travelling outside the COSAFA region, as far as West and North Africa, but as an association we are prepared for that.”
“What makes us more prepared is that the games will be played over two financial years, which means funding should not become a major challenge.”
