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| Africa Cup of Nations, CAF |
The race to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is approaching a decisive stage, with the upcoming matches potentially producing the first national teams to secure places at next year's tournament.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco are in a strong position after winning their opening two matches.
All three could confirm their qualification for the 24-team competition by winning their respective double-headers during the November international window.
The third and fourth rounds of qualifying matches will take place between November 12 and 17, 2026, with several groups entering a crucial period in the race to reach the finals.
Three Nations Close to Early Qualification
Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire and DR Congo have emerged as early contenders after collecting maximum points from their opening two fixtures.
Morocco will face Niger twice in Group A, with the first meeting scheduled for November 13 before the return fixture on November 17.
The Atlas Lions will be looking to maintain their perfect record and move closer to securing their place in the tournament.
In Group C, Côte d’Ivoire will face The Gambia in a highly anticipated double-header.
Both nations have six points after winning their opening matches, making the two encounters particularly important to the group's qualification standings.
The first fixture will take place in Bouaké on November 12, followed by the return meeting in Bakau on November 17.
DR Congo, meanwhile, will attempt to protect their unbeaten start against Sierra Leone in Group E.
The two nations are scheduled to meet on November 12 and November 17.
Winning both matches would put Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire and DR Congo in a position to guarantee their places among the 24 finalists, making these fixtures some of the most significant encounters of the November qualifying period.
Ghana Under Pressure After Difficult Start
While some of Africa's leading football nations are moving closer to qualification, Ghana face a considerably more difficult situation.
The Black Stars have lost their opening two matches against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia, leaving them without a point in Group C.
Their poor start has also resulted in a major coaching change, with Portuguese manager Carlos Queiroz departing after the disappointing results.
Swedish coach Kim Lars Björkegren, who manages Ghana's women's national team, has taken temporary charge while the Ghana Football Association looks for a permanent replacement.
Ghana will face Somalia twice during the November window, with the first encounter scheduled for November 12 and the return fixture on November 16.
Somalia have surrendered home advantage because they do not have a stadium that meets international requirements, meaning both matches are expected to take place in Ghana.
The return of captain Jordan Ayew and midfielder Mohammed Kudus from injury offers Ghana a boost ahead of the double-header.
However, Antoine Semenyo remains unavailable, leaving the Black Stars with important decisions to make as they attempt to revive their qualifying campaign.
With no points from their opening two games, Ghana will need a significant improvement in performance and results to remain competitive in the group.
Nigeria Also Facing an Important Qualification Test
Nigeria are another major African football nation under pressure after an unexpected 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their previous Group L encounter.
The Super Eagles have three points and will face co-hosts Tanzania twice during the November window, with matches scheduled for November 13 in Uyo and November 17 in Dar es Salaam.
The situation in Group L is particularly important because Tanzania have already secured automatic qualification as one of the tournament's co-hosts.
Consequently, Nigeria's main qualification challenge is against Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar for the remaining place available to a non-host nation in the group.
After reaching the semi-finals of the previous Africa Cup of Nations, missing out on the 2027 tournament would represent a major disappointment for Nigeria.
Their upcoming encounters against Tanzania therefore carry considerable importance as they attempt to improve their position before the final qualifying rounds in March.
Cape Verde Also Looking to Revive Its Campaign
Cape Verde are facing their own qualification challenge after losing their opening two matches in Group K.
The island nation made headlines with its impressive performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where it progressed beyond the group stage on its debut appearance.
However, its return to continental competition has been difficult, leaving the team at the bottom of its qualifying group.
Cape Verde will meet Liberia twice between November 13 and 17, knowing that positive results are essential to keeping their hopes of reaching the 2027 finals alive.
Group K also features Mali and Rwanda, who both collected six points from their opening two matches and will meet in a significant double-header of their own.
How Qualification for AFCON 2027 Works
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will feature 24 national teams, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda hosting the tournament.
A total of 48 countries are competing in the qualifying group stage, divided into 12 groups of four teams. Each country plays its opponents home and away across six matchdays.
In nine groups, the top two teams will automatically qualify for the finals.
However, Groups D, H and L have a different arrangement because they contain the three host nations.
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are already guaranteed places, meaning only the highest-ranked non-host team in each of those groups will secure an additional qualification spot.
The final two rounds of qualifying matches are scheduled for March 22–30, 2027, when the remaining places will be decided.
When Will AFCON 2027 Take Place?
The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 will be staged across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
The tournament will mark an important occasion for East African football, bringing the continent's leading national teams to the region for Africa's biggest international football competition.
Conclusion
November's AFCON 2027 qualifiers could provide the first major confirmation of the teams heading to the tournament, with Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire and DR Congo particularly well positioned to secure early qualification.
However, the situation is far more complicated for established nations such as Ghana and Nigeria, whose campaigns have already been affected by disappointing results.
As the third and fourth matchdays approach, the upcoming fixtures will not only shape the qualification race but could also determine which countries enter the final stage of the campaign with realistic hopes of reaching the 2027 finals.
