CAN 2027 qualifiers: Guinea-Bissau and Gambia upset Africa’s established order

The opening two rounds of the CAN 2027 qualifiers have produced a series of results challenging the traditional hierarchy of African football, with Guinea-Bissau and Gambia recording notable victories over Nigeria and Ghana respectively.

Rwanda have also made an impressive start, winning in Cape Verde after taking three points in their opening match. Together, those performances suggest that the changing balance of power may be more than a collection of isolated surprises.

Guinea-Bissau produced one of the most significant results of the international window by beating Nigeria 3-0. The Djurtus had already defeated Tanzania 2-0, meaning they now have six points and have put themselves in a strong position in their group.

Their victory over the Super Eagles was particularly striking because Nigeria have a squad containing several players competing at the highest level of European football. Guinea-Bissau nevertheless showed they could withstand that quality and turn the match decisively in their favour.

Gambia also delivered a major statement. The Scorpions fell 2-0 behind to Ghana after 33 minutes, but staged a remarkable comeback to win 4-2 in Accra.

Rwanda have matched that perfect start, claiming victories in both of their first two matches. They began with a 3-1 win over Liberia before following it up with a 2-1 success away to Cape Verde.

Somalia were unable to secure a positive result but demonstrated their resilience against Cote d’Ivoire. They remained competitive on home soil until the closing stages, before conceding twice in quick succession in a 2-0 defeat.

The results indicate that the gap between Africa’s most established sides and nations viewed as outsiders may no longer be as wide as it once was. Greater experience in international competitions, a growing number of players based abroad and improved tactical organisation have allowed several teams to compete more effectively against the continent’s traditional powers.

Qualification for CAN is therefore no longer determined solely by reputation, the number of players appearing in major leagues or a national team’s history. The first two rounds have underlined how every away match in Africa can now present a serious challenge for the favourites.

The remainder of the qualifying campaign will show whether these results are isolated achievements or evidence of a gradual redistribution of strength across African football.