Ivory Coast hosts Ghana in crucial AFCON 2027 qualifier on September 24

Ivory Coast host Ghana on Thursday, September 24, at 19:00 GMT in a CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Stade de Bouaké. Al Jazeera Sport will provide a live build‑up from 16:00 GMT and a text commentary stream for the match.

The game opens the qualification campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be staged in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Both sides entered the qualifier after a disappointing round‑of‑32 exit at the 2026 World Cup – Ivory Coast lost to Norway and Ghana fell to Colombia. The early fixture is meant to set the tone for Group C, which also includes The Gambia and Somalia. With the tournament’s host nations already decided, the pressure is on the two West African giants to secure the first points and avoid a repeat of their World Cup disappointment.

Ivory Coast are coached by Hervé Renard, returning for a second spell after replacing Emerse Fae. Renard is a two‑time AFCON winner, having lifted the trophy with Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015. The Elephants field a squad brimming with European talent: centre‑back Yan Diomande, now a Real Madrid signing, midfielder Franck Kessie of Atalanta, winger Nicolas Pepe at Villarreal, defender Ibrahim Sangaré of Nottingham Forest and youngster Amad Diallo at Manchester United. Ghana, meanwhile, will rely on a mix of Premier League and Serie A players, though the exact lineup has not been disclosed. The two nations have a storied rivalry, having met in the 1992 and 2015 finals, both decided by penalties, and Ivory Coast’s most recent AFCON triumph came in 2023 with a 2‑1 win over Nigeria.

The result will shape the next round of fixtures. Ghana travel to face The Gambia on Tuesday, while Ivory Coast visit Somalia later in the week. A win for either side could give them a clear path to top Group C and build momentum toward the finals. A draw or loss would keep the group open and raise questions about both teams’ readiness for the continental tournament after their early World Cup exits.