The road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations begins on Thursday with a heavyweight opening fixture: Côte d’Ivoire host Ghana in Bouaké. The neighbours enter a six-match group campaign in which an early result can quickly shape the race for places at the East African finals.
Forty-eight teams are divided into 12 qualifying groups, with the first two matchdays scheduled between 24 September and 6 October. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will stage the 24-team tournament from 19 June to 17 July 2027. CAF says the opening sequence launches the contest for the remaining berths.
A high-stakes opening night
The Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana match is scheduled for 19:00 GMT on 24 September, according to CAF’s Group A–C preview. The Gambia and Somalia complete Group C, and Ghana host The Gambia in the next round on 29 September. This is a preview: the Bouaké fixture had not been played when this article was prepared.
Hervé Renard has begun a second spell leading Côte d’Ivoire and named eight newcomers in a 25-man squad, CAF reports. Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz has Mohammed Kudus back after seven months out through injury, alongside attacking options including Antoine Semenyo and Jordan Ayew. Selection on match night, and how quickly these reshaped sides settle, will matter more than their reputations.
Elsewhere, Morocco open at home to Gabon on Friday, with captain Achraf Hakimi suspended for the first two qualifiers. Egypt host Angola the same evening. South Sudan meet Malawi before welcoming Egypt on 29 September, another fixture of interest to readers following the region’s football. CAF lists Morocco–Gabon and Egypt–Angola for 19:00 GMT on 25 September.
The qualifying picture
The group stage comprises six games for each team. In groups without a co-host, the top two qualify for the finals, CAF says. The format gives ambitious challengers room to recover from one setback, but makes every home match valuable.
Broadcast access varies by territory. CAF has listed beIN Sport for a number of markets, CANAL+ for French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa and local free-to-air partners, including RTI for Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana. Fans should check local listings for the specific match and territory.
The first whistle in Bouaké starts a qualification campaign that will stretch across the continent. Results, rather than pre-match billing, will decide which teams travel to East Africa next year.
Featured image: Côte d’Ivoire’s national team at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations final, photographed by Anneprudence. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Archive image; it does not show the 2026 qualifier.
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