The road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) begins this Thursday, featuring an exciting match-up between two footballing powerhouses: Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. This highly anticipated clash stands out as the highlight among the opening games of the tournament qualifiers. Meanwhile, significant discussions are underway among leading sports lawyers regarding the rightful winner of the 2025 AFCON, a contentious issue between Senegal and Morocco.
Initially, Senegal celebrated their victory after a hard-fought 1-0 win against Morocco at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat on January 18, 2026. However, they are set to commence their journey towards next year's competition against Mozambique in Group J on Friday. Conversely, Morocco, who will face Gabon in Group A on Friday night in Rabat, had their title awarded to them on March 17 after tournament organizers stripped Senegal of the championship due to violations of competition regulations.
The appeals panel of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) determined that Senegal effectively forfeited the match when they walked off the pitch, delaying the game for nearly 20 minutes in protest against referee Jean-Jacques Ngambo's decision to consult video assistants before awarding Morocco a penalty during the dying moments of the match. The situation was further complicated by Ngambo's prior refusal to review video footage when disallowing a goal by Senegal's Ismaila Sarr.
In response to the CAF's ruling, Senegal's football federation has taken the appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), where judges in Lausanne will review the case on October 8 and announce their decision in November. As the dispute continues, the countdown to the 2027 tournament presses on, with four of the six qualifying matches scheduled before the victor of the 2025 edition is confirmed.
The AFCON 2027 tournament is set to take place from June 19 to July 17 in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The co-hosts will compete in Groups D, H, and L, with only one other team from each pool moving on to the finals. In the remaining nine groups, the top two teams will advance. Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, both of whom participated in the 2026 World Cup, are expected to emerge victorious from Group C, which also includes Gambia and Somalia. Despite their early exits from the World Cup, with Ghana falling to Colombia and Côte d'Ivoire losing to Norway, the faith in Ghana's coach, Carlos Queiroz, remains strong.
Queiroz emphasized the importance of focusing on the immediate challenge, stating, “There is always a new challenge. For me, the most important trophy at this moment is the next game.” This sentiment resonates as Ghana prepares for their significant match against Côte d'Ivoire, a team that has recently seen a managerial change, bringing in Hervé Renard, who previously led the Ivorians to the Cup of Nations title in 2015. Renard acknowledged the significance of the Ghana match, highlighting the need for a strategic approach against a formidable opponent.
As the tournament heats up, Cape Verde will also be looking to qualify, guided by their new coach, Humberto Bettencourt, after a successful World Cup debut. The Blue Sharks will face Mali in Group K, joined by Rwanda and Liberia in their qualifying quest. Nigeria, starting their campaign against Madagascar, will do so without their star striker Victor Osimhen, who is sidelined due to injury. The excitement builds as teams vie for a place in the prestigious tournament, with the first matches promising thrilling encounters.
As reported by rfi.fr.
