The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers reached their third matchday, concluding on November 14, 2026. A total of 24 matches were played over three days - Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. These matches were part of the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The competition is heating up as teams vie for a spot in the continental tournament.

In Group One, Gabon secured a 2-0 win against Lesotho, while Morocco thrashed Niger 5-1. Egypt, in Group Two, dominated Malawi with a 5-0 victory, and Angola beat South Sudan 2-0. Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire also registered wins in their respective groups. Ghana beat Somalia 2-0, and Côte d'Ivoire edged Gambia 2-1. These results reflect the competitive nature of the qualifiers.

Group Four saw Guinea overcome Eritrea 2-1, but South Africa and Kenya played out a 2-2 draw. In Group Five, the Democratic Republic of Congo defeated Sierra Leone 3-1, while Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe shared the spoils in a goalless draw. Benin and Burkina Faso also secured victories in their group matches. Benin beat Central Africa 4-1, and Burkina Faso edged Mauritania 1-0.

The Cameroon vs Namibia match in Group Seven ended 2-0 in favor of Cameroon, while Comoros and Congo played out a 0-0 draw. Uganda and Botswana shared a 1-1 draw in Group Eight, but Tunisia suffered a 0-2 defeat to Libya. Algeria beat Togo 1-0 in Group Nine, and Zambia drew 1-1 with Burundi. These matches have significantly impacted the standings in their respective groups.

Senegal thrashed Sudan 4-1 in Group Ten, but Mozambique lost 0-1 to Ethiopia. Mali edged Rwanda 3-2 in Group Eleven, and Cape Verde beat Liberia 4-2. Nigeria dominated Tanzania 3-1 in Group Twelve, and Madagascar drew 1-1 with Guinea-Bissau. The competition is intense, with teams battling for the top two spots in their groups.

The qualifiers feature 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four teams each. The teams compete in a home-and-away format over six matchdays. The top two teams from nine groups will directly qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. However, for groups containing host nations - Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania - the host country automatically qualifies, along with the highest-ranked team in that group.

The third matchday results have dramatically changed the group standings. Teams that have secured crucial wins are now in favorable positions, but the qualifiers are far from over. The upcoming matches will be critical in determining which teams will ultimately qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Fans are eagerly anticipating the conclusion of the qualifiers to see which 24 teams will make it to the final tournament.

Key points

  • The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers' third matchday concluded with significant wins for teams like Egypt, Morocco, and Senegal.
  • A total of 24 matches were played across 12 groups during the third matchday of the qualifiers.
  • The top two teams from nine groups will directly qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with host nations having an automatic qualification spot.

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SaharaWire Newsroom
SaharaWire

Reporting for SaharaWire from the Nairobi bureau.