Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, will begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign with a difficult away trip to face Côte d'Ivoire in Bouaké on Thursday, September 24, 2026. The Group C match will be played at the Stade de la Paix and will kick off at 7:00 pm Ghana time. This fixture is one of the biggest in the opening round of the qualifiers, pitting two African football giants against each other.
The Black Stars will be without several key players, including Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew, and Thomas Partey, due to injuries and fitness concerns. Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz initially named a 24-man squad but had to make changes due to the absences. Nine players have been added to the squad, including defenders Jonas Adjetey, Alidu Seidu, Ebenezer Annan, and Rockson Yeboah, midfielder Rahim Ibrahim, and forwards Brandon Thomas-Asante, Mohammed Fuseini, Benjamin Tetteh, and Felix Afena-Gyan.
Côte d'Ivoire also faces challenges with several players unavailable, including Manchester United's Amad Diallo due to injury. Wilfried Singo, Odilon Kossounou, and Guéla Doué have also been ruled out, with Junior Diaz and Luck Zogbé called up as replacements. Hervé Renard has returned as head coach of Côte d'Ivoire, beginning a new cycle with the Elephants after being appointed for a second spell in charge.
The two teams have a history of competition, with their last five matches seeing Ghana win twice, lose once, and draw twice. Ghana missed the 2025 AFCON after finishing bottom of their qualifying group, ending a run of appearances that had stretched back to 2006. The Black Stars will look to make a stronger start this time as they begin their attempt to reach the 2027 tournament in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Possible line-ups for the match have been predicted based on available squads and reported absences. Côte d'Ivoire may field Yahia Fofana; Luck Zogbé, Evan Ndicka, Ousmane Diomandé, Ghislain Konan; Franck Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré, Christ Inao Oulaï; Nicolas Pépé, Ange-Yoan Bonny, Yan Diomandé. Ghana's probable lineup could include Benjamin Asare, Alexander Djiku, Jonas Adjetey, Gideon Mensah, Kwasi Sibo, Caleb Yirenkyi, Augustine Boakye, Fatawu Issahaku, Enerst Nuamah, and Afena-Gyan.
The match is expected to be a closely contested encounter, with predictions suggesting Côte d'Ivoire may have a slight edge. A predicted score is Côte d'Ivoire 3-1 Ghana. After Thursday's game, Ghana will return home to face The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 29, while Côte d'Ivoire will travel to face Somalia.
The 2027 AFCON qualifiers continue with Matchday 1 and 2, with various teams vying for a spot in the tournament. Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire are in Group C, and their match will set the tone for the rest of the qualifying campaign. The Black Stars will look to bounce back from their recent setbacks and make a strong statement in the qualifiers.
Key points
- Ghana will be without several key players, including Mohammed Kudus and Thomas Partey.
- Côte d'Ivoire has recalled coach Hervé Renard for a second spell in charge.
- The match between Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire will be a significant test for both teams in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
