The stage is set for a pivotal opening clash in Group C of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as Ivory Coast host Ghana at the Stade de Bouake on Thursday, September 24. The match kicks off at 19:00 GMT, with Al Jazeera Sport providing live build-up starting from 16:00 GMT ahead of their text commentary stream.
This high-profile encounter serves as the inaugural match for the qualification pathway to the finals, which are scheduled to be held across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Joining Ivory Coast and Ghana in Group C are The Gambia and Somalia. Looking ahead, Ghana is set to face The Gambia on Tuesday, while Ivory Coast will travel to meet Somalia in their subsequent fixtures.
Ivory Coast enter the campaign with clear objectives despite their round-of-32 elimination by Norway at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Under the leadership of Herve Renard, who returned to manage the Elephants for a second stint after replacing Emerse Fae, the team aims to claim the continental title. Renard, a two-time AFCON-winning coach who also guided Zambia to victory in 2012, previously led Ivory Coast to the trophy in 2015. His extensive managerial career includes successful spells with Morocco, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and Real Madrid.
The Ivory Coast squad features several prominent figures in European football. Yan Diomande recently made a record-breaking $161m move to Real Madrid from RB Leipzig, while Franck Kessie continues his career with Atalanta following his departure from Barcelona. Nicolas Pepe is working to revive his form at Villarreal, having previously enjoyed success at Lille before a costly transfer to Arsenal. Other key players include Nottingham Forest’s Ibrahim Sangare and Manchester United’s Amad Diallo.
Historically, the Elephants have dominated this fixture in major tournaments, defeating Ghana on penalties in both the 1992 and 2015 AFCON finals. Their most recent triumph came in 2023 when they beat Nigeria 2-1 on home soil. However, Diallo is ruled out of the upcoming match due to injury, and Evann Guessand and Omar Diakite have also been omitted from Renard’s 25-man squad. The predicted lineup includes Fofana in goal, with a defense featuring Doue, Koussounou, O Diomande, and Konan, supported by midfielders Kessie, Sangare, and Inao, and an attack led by Pepe, Bonny, and Yan Diomande.
Ghana, also known as the Black Stars, face the challenge of rebuilding after failing to reach the last AFCON and being eliminated in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup by Colombia. Led by 73-year-old Portuguese manager Carlos Queiroz, a former Real Madrid boss and long-serving coach of Iran, Ghana hopes to rebound from their previous qualifying disappointment. Queiroz brings a wealth of international experience from managing nations such as South Africa, Egypt, Colombia, Qatar, and Portugal.
The Ghanaian side boasts a deep roster of star power, including Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo and Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus, though both have dealt with injury concerns, with Kudus missing the World Cup. Captain Jordan Ayew remains a central figure in attack, while Villarreal’s Thomas Partey and Athletic Bilbao’s Iñaki Williams provide significant creative threat. With injuries to key players like Ayew, Semenyo, and Kudus, Queiroz has had to adjust his squad. The predicted starting lineup features Asare in goal, an back four of Oppong, Adjetey, Opoku, and Mensah, a midfield trio of Yirenkyi, Sibo, and Donkor, and a forward line consisting of Issahaku, Thomas-Asante, and Nuamah.
The rivalry between these two West African neighbors is one of the oldest in international football, with this being their 38th meeting. Ghana holds a slight edge with 15 wins compared to Ivory Coast’s 10. Their last competitive meeting ended in a 3-1 victory for Ivory Coast during the 2010 AFCON round-of-16, while their most recent friendly in 2021 ended in a goalless draw.
Remember the 2015 final heartbreak? Ghana won the Super Eagles twice. This rivalry never gets old, always intense.
Queiroz is 73 and still managing? Incredible stamina. Ghana needs Kudus and Semenyo fit if they want to steal this.
Wow, $161m for Yan Diomande? Real Madrid clearly see something special there. Can’t wait to see him shine on this stage.
So Amad Diallo is out? That is a huge blow for Ivory Coast. Hope the rest of the attack can step up.