2027 AFCON Qualifiers: Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire Headline Thursday Fixtures as Race to PAMOJA 2027 Begins
The road to the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 officially gets underway on Thursday, September 24, with eight fixtures scheduled as the continent’s leading nations begin their pursuit of a place at next year’s tournament in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The opening round of the group-stage qualifiers features 48 nations divided into 12 groups of four, with the first two matchdays running from September 24 to October 6, 2026.
The headline fixture on Thursday comes from Bouaké, where two former African champions, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, meet in a heavyweight Group C encounter at the Stade de la Paix.
The tournament finals will be staged from June 19 to July 17, 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda serving as co-hosts. The three hosts are automatically qualified, meaning the highest-ranked team apart from the host will advance from each of Groups D, H and L. In the other groups, the top two teams qualify.
Côte d’Ivoire vs Ghana Headlines Group C
The West African heavyweight clash provides an immediate test for both sides, with Côte d’Ivoire beginning a new cycle under returning head coach Hervé Renard.
Renard has named eight newcomers in his first squad since returning to the Elephants, underlining the rebuilding process underway as the 2015 AFCON-winning coach begins his second spell in charge.
Ghana, meanwhile, arrive under Carlos Queiroz, who has recalled several players for the opening qualifiers. Mohammed Kudus is among the headline returnees after a seven-month injury absence, having missed Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
The encounter is scheduled for 19:00 GMT, 20:00 Nigerian time.
Cameroon Begin Against Comoros
Cameroon will also launch their campaign on Thursday when they host Comoros in Group G at 19:00 GMT.
The Indomitable Lions face a Comoros side that has established itself as an increasingly competitive force on the continental stage. Cameroon will therefore need a strong opening performance as they begin their six-match group campaign.
Earlier in the same group, Namibia host Congo at 13:00 GMT, giving both sides the opportunity to make an early statement before Cameroon and Comoros take centre stage.
DR Congo Face Equatorial Guinea
DR Congo welcome Equatorial Guinea in one of two Group E fixtures scheduled for Thursday.
The match, set for 16:00 GMT, will be followed by Sierra Leone’s meeting with Zimbabwe at 19:00 GMT.
With four teams competing for two qualification places in Group E, the opening double-header could immediately establish an early advantage in a tightly contested pool. CAF has confirmed that the first two teams in groups without a co-host will qualify for the finals.
Tunisia Host Uganda
Tunisia face Uganda in another significant Thursday fixture, with the Carthage Eagles hosting the co-hosts in Group H at 19:00 GMT.
Uganda are already guaranteed a place at PAMOJA 2027 as one of the tournament’s co-hosts, but will participate in the qualifying campaign to maintain competitive activity ahead of the finals.
Earlier in Group H, Libya take on Botswana at 16:00 GMT.
Mauritania Open Against Central African Republic
Mauritania and the Central African Republic will meet in the opening Group F fixture on Thursday at 16:00 GMT.
Both nations will be looking to establish an early foothold in a group that also contains Burkina Faso and Benin, who begin their campaigns on Friday.
Thursday’s Fixtures at a Glance
Group G
Namibia vs Congo — 13:00 GMT / 14:00 WAT
Group E
DR Congo vs Equatorial Guinea — 16:00 GMT / 17:00 WAT
Group F
Mauritania vs Central African Republic — 16:00 GMT / 17:00 WAT
Group H
Libya vs Botswana — 16:00 GMT / 17:00 WAT
Group C
Côte d’Ivoire vs Ghana — 19:00 GMT / 20:00 WAT
Group E
Sierra Leone vs Zimbabwe — 19:00 GMT / 20:00 WAT
Group G
Cameroon vs Comoros — 19:00 GMT / 20:00 WAT
Group H
Tunisia vs Uganda — 19:00 GMT / 20:00 WAT
CAF’s official schedule confirms that Matchday 1 will continue on Friday, September 25, with Nigeria opening their Group L campaign against Madagascar, while Morocco face Gabon, Egypt take on Angola and Algeria host Zambia among the other headline fixtures.
The qualification campaign will resume for Matchdays 3 and 4 during the November 9–17 international window, before the final two rounds are played between March 22 and 30, 2027.
With the opening whistle now set to sound in Bouaké and across three other venues, the race to PAMOJA 2027 has officially begun.
