With only a few weeks remaining before the start of Africa’s biggest football event, national teams have entered the final phase of their preparations for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Coaches across the continent are using this international window to test their squads, fine-tune tactical plans, and assess player fitness through a series of friendly matches. These games, scheduled across different countries and even different continents, are designed to simulate tournament conditions and help teams identify strengths and weaknesses ahead of the competition in Egypt.
This weekend marks the beginning of the first wave of preparation matches, bringing together several AFCON-qualified teams and a few invited opponents. The friendlies will take place from Friday to Sunday and involve nations from Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Beyond the results, these fixtures are especially important for experimenting with line-ups, integrating new players, and giving competitive minutes to footballers returning from long club seasons.
The action begins on Friday with three interesting encounters. Tunisia will host Iraq in Radès, giving the Carthage Eagles a chance to measure themselves against a technically solid Asian opponent. This match should help the Tunisian staff evaluate their defensive organization and midfield balance ahead of a demanding AFCON campaign. Meanwhile, Kenya will face Madagascar in Évry, France, a neutral venue that allows both teams to regroup their European-based players. This regional duel between two East African sides promises intensity and could provide valuable insights into squad depth and tactical discipline.
Also on Friday, Ivory Coast will take on Comoros in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. For the Elephants, this match offers an opportunity to test attacking combinations and give playing time to fringe players hoping to secure a place in the final squad. Comoros, although not among the traditional heavyweights, will look to use this prestigious friendly as a platform to gain experience and confidence against a former African champion.
Saturday’s program features two matches. Nigeria will meet Zimbabwe in Asaba, in front of a home crowd eager to see the Super Eagles’ progress. This fixture will be closely watched, as Nigeria is considered one of the contenders for the title and will want to demonstrate both offensive fluidity and defensive solidity. On the same day, Angola will face Guinea-Bissau in Espinho, Portugal. This Lusophone clash between two neighboring football cultures provides both teams with a valuable test in a European setting, allowing them to assess conditioning levels and tactical organization away from home.
Sunday closes the weekend with four friendly matches spread across Europe and the Middle East. Uganda will play Turkmenistan in Abu Dhabi, offering the Cranes an unusual but useful international test against a non-African opponent. Cameroon will take on Zambia in Madrid, a classic African matchup that could reveal much about both teams’ physical readiness and squad chemistry. In Marbella, Spain, DR Congo will meet Burkina Faso in what promises to be a competitive contest between two technically gifted sides. Finally, Ghana will face Namibia in Dubai, a game that allows the Black Stars to experiment while giving Namibia a chance to gain experience against one of the continent’s traditional powers.
These friendlies mark an important step in the build-up to the Africa Cup of Nations. While the results will attract attention, the real focus for coaches lies in preparation: building cohesion, preventing injuries, and ensuring that their teams peak at the right moment. As the countdown to Egypt continues, this weekend’s matches will offer the first real indications of form, ambition, and readiness among Africa’s national teams.
