AFCON 2027 Qualifiers: A wrap of Matchday 1 as Ivory Coast sink Ghana

The qualification campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations got under way on Thursday with several nations beginning their quest for a place at the tournament, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda next year.

One of the headline fixtures of the opening round saw Côte d’Ivoire secure a 2-0 victory over Ghana in Bouaké in Group C, handing returning Black Stars coach Carlos Queiroz a defeat in his first competitive match since taking charge.

The result gives the Elephants an early advantage in a group that also includes Gambia and Somalia.

Elsewhere, several other Matchday One fixtures were played across the continent as the qualification journey to East Africa gathered momentum. Forty-eight nations have been drawn into 12 groups, with the qualifiers running until March 2027.

The top two teams from nine groups will qualify automatically, while only one nation will progress from each group containing one of the three host countries.

The opening round continues on Friday with a number of heavyweight clashes. Morocco, one of Africa’s strongest performers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, host Gabon in Rabat, while seven-time African champions Egypt welcome Angola to Cairo.

Algeria begin their campaign at home against Zambia and Senegal, under new coach Patrick Vieira, face Mozambique.

Nigeria will also kick off their campaign against Madagascar on Friday, while South Africa host Guinea in Johannesburg on Saturday in what is expected to be one of the standout fixtures of the opening round.

Among the host nations, Uganda started their programme away to Tunisia on Thursday, while Tanzania and Kenya are scheduled to begin their campaigns on Friday and Saturday respectively.

Although the three East African nations have already qualified automatically as tournament hosts, they will still participate in the qualifiers, with only one additional team advancing from each of their groups.

Upcoming AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Fixtures

Friday, September 25

• Nigeria vs Madagascar
• Morocco vs Gabon
• Egypt vs Angola
• Algeria vs Zambia
• Senegal vs Mozambique
• Tanzania vs Guinea-Bissau

Saturday, September 26

• South Africa vs Guinea
• Kenya vs Eritrea

The opening two matchdays of the qualifying campaign will be played between September 24 and October 6, with nations looking to make an early statement in the race for a place at AFCON 2027.