The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying kicks off with a blockbuster West African showdown between Ivory Coast and Ghana. The match, which will be held in Bouake, pits two former champions against each other under the guidance of high-profile coaches Herve Renard and Carlos Queiroz. Ghana have won the AFCON four times, but their last victory was in 1982.
Renard, who led Ivory Coast to their second African title 11 years ago, also won the AFCON with Zambia in 2012, one of the biggest shocks in the history of the 69-year competition. He has worked with clubs in France, England, and Vietnam, but has concentrated on national teams, coaching Angola, Morocco, Saudi Arabia twice, France women, and Tunisia.
Queiroz, who came closest to AFCON glory in 2022 with Egypt, lost the final after a penalty shootout against Senegal while watching from the stands due to a suspension. His CV includes managing Real Madrid and working as an assistant to former Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson. He took charge of Ghana just before the 2026 World Cup, transforming a struggling team into a combative, defensively strong unit.
Ghana's defensive resilience will be tested against Ivory Coast, who boast a strong strike force that includes Yan Diomande of Real Madrid and Bazoumana Toure of Newcastle. However, Ghana will be without injured midfielder Mohammed Kudus, who also missed the World Cup. The match is one of 24 fixtures in the first matchday of the AFCON qualifying.
The coaching carousel in African football has seen significant changes since the 2026 World Cup, with only four of the 10 coaches who began the tournament still in charge of their African qualifiers. Those who have quit, retired, or been fired include Renard, Sabri Lamouchi, Emerse Fae, Vladimir Petkovic, Hugo Broos, Pape Thiaw, and Bubista.
One of the new coaches is Patrick Vieira, a 1998 World Cup winner with France, who has replaced Pape Thiaw in charge of Senegal. However, his debut against Mozambique has suffered a setback due to the lack of an international-standard stadium in Senegal. Instead, they will travel to Mozambique for a match that may prove more challenging than expected.
Other teams, including South Africa and Cape Verde, will also be in action in the AFCON qualifying. Pitso Mosimane returns as coach of South Africa after being sacked following a 2014 World Cup qualifying draw with Ethiopia. Cape Verde, who held eventual champions Spain and took Argentina to extra time at the World Cup, will be away to Mali under new assistant coach Humberto Bettencourt.
Key points
- Herve Renard and Carlos Queiroz face each other in a blockbuster AFCON qualifier.
- The match is one of 24 fixtures in the first matchday of the AFCON qualifying.
- Only four of the 10 coaches who began the 2026 World Cup are still in charge of their African qualifiers.
