Ivory Coast vs Ghana Headlines Opening Day of AFCON 2027 Qualifiers
The Highly Anticipated Return: Renard’s Rebuild Begins Tonight
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers kick off today with four intriguing matches on the schedule, headlined by the blockbuster in Bouaké, where Ivory Coast will be playing host to Ghana, and you can get all the key info for this clash in our AFCON 2027 predictions.
This match marks the start of Hervé Renard’s second spell in charge of the Elephants. He guided Ivory Coast to AFCON glory in 2015 and now replaces Emerse Faé, who left his role after his contract was not renewed following the team’s 2026 World Cup campaign.
Renard has wasted no time in making his return to the helm felt!
The French tactician has immediately shaken up the squad by naming as many as eight newcomers in his 25-man selection, including rising stars Patrick Zabi, Eddy Doué, Amadou Koné, Malick Yalcouyé, and Kassoum Ouattara.
While the hosts will miss the brilliance of Manchester United’s Amad Diallo due to injury, the core of the Elephants’ squad is still extremely strong, featuring the likes of Franck Kessié, Nicolas Pépé, and Real Madrid’s $161m summer signing Yan Diomande.
Carlos Queiroz and the Black Stars seek redemption!
Ghana will be hoping for a reset after a difficult AFCON campaign last time out, where they finished bottom of their group. Carlos Queiroz is now in charge, and the former Real Madrid boss has been tasked with restoring tactical discipline to the Black Stars.
Beyond the three points at stake in this opening clash, the Black Stars will be desperate to exact revenge and break their modern “Ivorian curse,” having famously lost both the 1992 and 2015 AFCON finals to the Elephants via heartbreaking penalty shootouts.
Beyond the Derby: Other Must-Watch Continental Clashes This Week
While the West African derby between Ivory Coast and Ghana in Bouaké steals the headlines, several other continental heavyweights will also take to the pitch on Thursday and Friday as the road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations gets underway.
DR Congo vs Equatorial Guinea (Group E)
Group E kicks off with an absolute firecracker as DR Congo look to make the most of their home advantage in Kinshasa. Unlike groups featuring tournament hosts, Group E has no automatic qualifiers, meaning the top two spots are completely up for grabs.
As discussed in our DR Congo vs Equatorial Guinea prediction, the Leopards face an extremely resilient National Thunder outfit that have been a handful for the continent’s elite in recent years, and will be eager to improve on their performance at the last AFCON.
Nigeria vs Madagascar (Group L)
The Super Eagles begin life in Group L under immense pressure to secure a home victory after finishing third in the last AFCON campaign and shockingly failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the United States earlier this year.
Facing a plucky Madagascar side, Nigeria must navigate this opening hurdle without the raw firepower of star striker Victor Osimhen, who is recovering from injury. A positive start is critical to avoid qualification drama in a group that also features co-host Tanzania.
Egypt vs Angola (Group B)
Our experts are expecting a tactical chess match in Cairo, according to our Egypt vs Angola prediction. In a dramatic twist of storylines, former Senegal boss Aliou Cissé makes his managerial debut in this match, now in the dugout of the Black Sable Antelopes.
Cissé’s well-known structural defensive drilling will be put to the ultimate test immediately, as he looks to neutralise the threat of Mohamed Salah, who has made a storming start to life in Turkey with Trabzonspor, scoring seven goals and providing two assists in his first six league games.
Morocco vs Gabon (Group B)
Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi leads the Atlas Lions into a Friday night thriller against the Panthers in Rabat. While Morocco’s results carry less pressure because they are assured qualification to AFCON 2027, these matches will be crucial preparations, as mentioned in our Morocco vs Gabon prediction.
A big part of Ouahbi’s plans over the coming weeks will be trying to maintain his team’s tactical fluidity, while Gabon, now without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, need an early spark after losing all three of their group-stage matches in the previous edition of the competition.
