Morocco and Gabon begin AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign in Group A

Morocco begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign at home to Gabon on Friday, with both sides looking to make an early statement in Group A.

The Atlas Lions host Gabon at 19:00 local time on 25 September, with the encounter set to be one of the headline fixtures of the opening round of qualifying.

Morocco enter the campaign as one of Africa’s leading football nations and will have home advantage behind them as they begin their bid to secure a place at the continental tournament.

Gabon, meanwhile, face a demanding opening assignment away from home but will be hoping to frustrate the hosts and return with a positive result.

The fixture is one of two Group A matches being played on Friday, with Niger hosting Lesotho earlier in the day at 15:00.

Morocco face Gabon test

Morocco will be expected to take the initiative on home soil, particularly given their recent standing in African football.

The Atlas Lions have established themselves among the continent’s strongest sides in recent years and will be determined to begin qualifying with three points.

Playing in front of their home supporters should give Morocco an additional advantage, but Gabon will provide a test of their ability to break down a side determined to remain competitive.

For Gabon, avoiding defeat would provide an important foundation in a group where every point could prove significant by the end of the qualifying campaign.

The visitors will need to remain disciplined defensively while looking for opportunities to exploit Morocco when they commit players forward.

Niger host Lesotho

Earlier on Friday, Niger welcome Lesotho in the other Group A fixture.

The match, scheduled for 15:00, gives both teams an opportunity to start their qualifying campaign with a home victory.

Niger will be looking to make full use of home advantage, while Lesotho will aim to produce a disciplined away performance and take something from the encounter.

With Morocco and Gabon meeting later in the day, the result in Niger could immediately shape the early standings in Group A.

What is at stake?

The opening round of matches offers all four teams the chance to establish an early position in the group.

Morocco will be seeking a strong start to their campaign, while Gabon, Niger and Lesotho will all be aware of the importance of collecting points from their opening fixtures.

With the qualifying race only beginning, Friday’s matches are unlikely to determine the final outcome, but they could provide an early indication of how the group may develop.

Group A fixtures – Friday, 25 September

• 15:00 – Niger v Lesotho
• 19:00 – Morocco v Gabon

The opening whistle in Niger will get Group A underway before attention turns to the meeting between Morocco and Gabon later in the evening.