Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Matchday Preview
The road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is about to enter its qualification stage, with national hopes and ambitions on the line.
Big names will be looking to make strong starts, while emerging nations will see an opportunity to challenge more established opponents.
For supporters in the UK, the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers offer the chance to follow some of the continent’s leading national teams alongside a host of emerging talents.
This guide will highlight the fixtures and results through Africa Cup of Nations qualification, and will updated after every matchday.
What Are The Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Matchday 1 Fixtures?
Matchday 1 of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers features 24 fixtures across 12 groups. The group-stage campaign involves 48 teams, with the qualifiers being played over six matchdays.
The first two matchdays take place between 21 September and 6 October 2026, with the fixtures themselves beginning on 24 September. All kick-off times below are listed in GMT, as provided by CAF.
The latest Africa Cup of Nations fixtures are:
Thursday, 24 September
Namibia vs Congo – 2pm
DR Congo vs Equatorial Guinea – 5pm
Mauritania vs Central African Republic – 5pm
Libya vs Botswana – 5pm
Ivory Coast vs Ghana – 8pm
Tunisia vs Uganda – 8pm
Cameroon vs Comoros – 8pm
Sierra Leone vs Zimbabwe – 8pm
Friday, 25 September
Senegal vs Mozambique – 2pm
Tanzania vs Guinea-Bissau – 2pm
Niger vs Lesotho – 4pm
Rwanda vs Liberia – 5pm
Malawi vs South Sudan – 5pm
Nigeria vs Madagascar – 5pm
Gambia vs Somalia – 5pm
Sudan vs Ethiopia – 5pm
Togo vs Burundi – 5pm
Mali vs Cape Verde – 8pm
Morocco vs Gabon – 8pm
Burkina Faso vs Benin – 8pm
Egypt vs Angola – 8pm
Algeria vs Zambia – 8pm
Saturday, 26 September
Kenya vs Eritrea – 2pm
South Africa vs Guinea – 5pm
The headline fixtures include Côte d’Ivoire against Ghana, Morocco against Gabon, Egypt against Angola and Algeria against Zambia. Meanwhile, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will all take part despite already having guaranteed places at the finals as co-hosts.
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Matchday 1: Game of the Week Preview
Côte d’Ivoire v Ghana is one of the standout fixtures of Matchday 1, bringing together two former African champions in Group C. The match will be played on 24 September 2026 at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 GMT.
Côte d’Ivoire enter the qualifying campaign as the reigning AFCON champions after winning the 2023 edition, which was staged in Côte d’Ivoire in early 2024. The Elephants will begin a new cycle under returning head coach Hervé Renard, who has included eight new players in his 25-man squad for the opening qualifiers against Ghana and Somalia.
Ghana, four-time AFCON champions, will be looking to make a strong start in a group that CAF has identified as particularly competitive. Both Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are among the most decorated nations in African football, while The Gambia have also reached recent AFCON finals and Somalia will be aiming to make an impact against more established opposition.
The fixture is part of a six-matchday home-and-away qualifying campaign. In Group C, there are two places available at the 2027 finals because the group does not contain one of the automatically qualified co-hosts. The top two teams in Group C will therefore qualify for the tournament in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
With both sides beginning their campaigns against each other, the result could provide an early indication of how Group C develops. Côte d’Ivoire will then face Somalia in Abidjan on 29 September, while Ghana will host The Gambia on the same day as Matchday 2 continues.
What Were The Africa Cup of Nations Matchday 1 Results?
Matchday 1 of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers has not yet been played. The first group-stage fixtures are scheduled to take place from 24 September 2026, so there are no Matchday 1 results to report at this stage.
The latest Africa Cup of Nations results are:
Bet on the Africa Cup of Nations at Bet442
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From qualifying fixtures to the tournament itself, you can explore the available options and bet on the Africa Cup of Nations as the action unfolds.
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