2027 AFCON Qualifying Begins: Côte d'Ivoire Beats Ghana, New Coaches Debut
Qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations opened with results across several groups, headlined by Côte d'Ivoire's win over Ghana and new coaches taking charge of multiple national teams.
What happened
The opening round of 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying saw Côte d'Ivoire, under coach Hervé Renard, beat Ghana, under coach Carlos Queiroz, 2-0 in Bouaké.1648
Elsewhere, Cameroon beat Comoros 3-1 and DR Congo beat Equatorial Guinea, while The Gambia beat Somalia 2-1 in Group C, leaving Ghana bottom of that group.231
The qualifiers also mark the start of tenures for several prominent new national team coaches, including Patrick Vieira at Senegal, whose side drew in their opening match.795
Ghana's defeat prompted scrutiny in Nigerian coverage over the absence of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in AFCON qualifiers.6
DR Congo beat Equatorial Guinea in their opening qualifying match.3
The Gambia beat Somalia 2-1 in Group C, leaving Ghana bottom of the group after round one.1
Senegal's opening match under new coach Patrick Vieira ended in a draw.5
Key points
- Côte d'Ivoire, coached by Hervé Renard, beat Ghana, coached by Carlos Queiroz, 2-0 in Bouaké on Thursday in the opening round of 2027 AFCON qualifying.1648
- Cameroon beat Comoros 3-1 in their opening qualifying match.23
- The qualification campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations has begun with a number of high-profile new coaches, including Patrick Vieira at Senegal and Hervé Renard at Côte d'Ivoire, taking charge.79
What the coverage leaves out
- None of the outlets reviewed reported detailed comments from Carlos Queiroz about Ghana's qualification goals, despite the working label referencing such a statement.
- None of the outlets reviewed reported the specific scoreline or details of Senegal's draw under Patrick Vieira.
Why it matters
The matches mark the start of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with several national teams appointing new high-profile coaches ahead of the campaign.79
What to watch
- Further Group C and other qualifying fixtures involving Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, DR Congo and Senegal as the campaign continues.
Sources (9)
Every outlet we drew on, grouped by where it is based. Read the originals for the full reporting.
Europe
- 2France 24FRPublic broadcaster
AFCON 2027 Qualifiers: African giants kick off their campaigns
- 7BBC SportGBPublic broadcaster
Middle East & Turkey
- 3Al Jazeera EnglishQAState-controlled
DR Congo and Ivory Coast top Africa Cup of Nations qualifying opening wins
- 8Arab NewsSAPrivate
Africa
- 1MyJoyOnlineGHPrivate
2027 AFCONQ: Ghana under pressure as Gambia beat Somalia 2-1
- 6VanguardNGPrivate
- 9PunchNGPrivate
From Renard to Vieira: New coaches take charge in AFCON qualifiers
South Asia
- 4The Express TribunePKPrivate
Southeast Asia
- 5CNASGState-controlled