The Japan Times - Ghana, Ivory Coast to clash in 2027 AFCON qualifying

Gambia and Somalia complete Group C and the winners and runners-up after six matchdays between September and March qualify for the tournament.

The clash of four-time winners Ghana and three-time champions Ivory Coast resulted from Ghana being among the second seeds. Seeding was based on the current world rankings.

Ivory Coast, Ghana and Cape Verde are among 10 African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which kicks off next month in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Cape Verde, whose World Cup qualification at the expense of Cameroon was the biggest shock among the nine African groups, are in Group K of the AFCON with Mali, Rwanda and Liberia.

South Africa are in Group D with Guinea, co-hosts Kenya and Eritrea. With the Kenyans qualifying automatically, the other three teams will fight for one ticket to East Africa.

Nigeria are also in a group from which there will be only one qualifier, apart from co-hosts Tanzania. Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau complete Group L.

Title-holders Morocco share Group A with Gabon, Niger and Lesotho. Senegal, the 2025 AFCON runners-up, will face Mozambique, Sudan and Ethiopia in Group J.

Morocco lost a dramatic 2025 final to Senegal in Rabat only to be declared winners after an appeal to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The appeal resulted from many Senegal players leaving the pitch after Morocco were awarded an added-time penalty.

Senegal eventually returned, Brahim Diaz missed the spot kick, and Pape Gueye struck an extra-time winner.

Senegal reacted to being stripped of the title by appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland and are awaiting a verdict.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe has repeatedly refuted reports the 2027 AFCON would be postponed or taken away from the co-hosts due to delays with preparations.

"The next (2027) AFCON is going to be in East Africa during June and July next year. I have no doubts about that, despite all the challenges," he assured reporters recently.

Meanwbile, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe have officially applied to host the 2028 AFCON. If successful, it would be the first edition staged in four countries.

South Africa hosted the 1996 and 2013 editions, as replacements for Kenya and Libya respectively. Kenya did not meet preparation deadlines while security issues ruled out Libya.

From 2028, the AFCON will change from being a biennial to four-yearly event. The change was necessitated to fit the event into the global calendar.

Draw

Group A

Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho

Group B

Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan

Group C

Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gambia, Somalia

Group D

South Africa, Guinea, Kenya (co-host), Eritrea

Group E

Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe

Group F

Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic

Group G

Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo Brazzaville

Group H

Tunisia, Uganda (co-host), Libya, Botswana

Group I

Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi

Group J

Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia

Group K

Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia

Group L

Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania (co-host), Guinea-Bissau

Note: Winners and runners-up qualify from nine groups not including a co-host. In three groups including a co-host, only one other team qualifies

Matchdays

1, 2: September 21-Oct 6

3, 4: November 9-17

5, 6: March 22-30 2027

T.Ikeda--JT