AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Matchday 1 Preview: Ivory Coast vs Ghana, Egypt vs Angola and Kenya’s Opening Game

While Europe turns to the Nations League, Africa begins a major race of its own. Matchday 1 of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers runs from September 24 to 26, with 24 games across the continent and several fixtures strong enough to stand on their own. The main markets are already live on 888STARZ, ranging from a heavyweight West African clash to matches where the home side starts as an overwhelming favourite.

The final tournament will be staged in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in the summer of 2027. All three hosts have already qualified automatically, while the rest of the continent begins the fight for the remaining places.

888STARZ odds were recorded on September 23 via the bookmaker’s current line in an odds-comparison service and may change before kick-off.

Ivory Coast vs Ghana: no warm-up for two heavyweights

There is no gentle introduction in Group C.

Ivory Coast and Ghana open their qualifying campaigns against each other in Bouake — two nations with championship pedigree and long histories at the sharp end of African football.

Ivory Coast begin a new cycle under Herve Renard. The returning coach has already refreshed the squad with eight new players, including Patrick Zabi, Eddy Doue and Malick Yalcouye, while still keeping the core of the team intact.

Ghana also arrive with plenty of attacking quality. Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew and Ernest Nuamah remain among the key options.

With only six games in the group, neither side will want to start by immediately giving ground to a direct rival.

888STARZ:
Ivory Coast — 1.60 | Draw — 3.64 | Ghana — 5.56

The gap is significant, although 5.56 on Ghana still feels fairly aggressive for a matchup of this stature.

Matchday 1 should already tell us how quickly Renard has managed to reshape the hosts.

Egypt vs Angola: Cairo expects a strong start

For the Egyptian audience, this is one of the biggest fixtures of the entire international window.

Hossam Hassan’s side begin their road to AFCON at home against Angola. Egypt reached the knockout stages of the World Cup in the summer and now return to the African cycle as clear favourites in their opening qualifier.

Group B looks manageable on paper. Alongside Egypt and Angola are Malawi and South Sudan.

But in a six-game group, one poor home result can change the mathematics very quickly.

That makes the Cairo opener important for more than just three points. After the World Cup, Egypt are expected not simply to qualify, but to take control of the group from the start.

888STARZ:
Egypt — 1.46 | Draw — 3.92 | Angola — 7.20

The line is fairly clear here. The pressure will be on the hosts, especially at home.

Morocco vs Gabon: Ouahbi’s new Morocco meets a Gabon side without Aubameyang

Morocco are beginning a new chapter too.

Mohamed Ouahbi enters his first official cycle in charge and has already shown that he is not simply preserving the old hierarchy. Three uncapped senior internationals have been included, among them 17-year-old Abdellah Ouazane.

Gabon’s changes are even more obvious.

Sebastien Migne begins his tenure without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has retired from international football. More of the attacking responsibility now falls on Denis Bouanga and the other experienced players who remain.

The market gives Gabon very little chance of spoiling Ouahbi’s first competitive night in Rabat.

888STARZ:
Morocco — 1.17 | Draw — 6.45 | Gabon — 15.00

The biggest question is not really who the favourite is. It is what this refreshed Morocco side will look like under a new coach.

Three More Games Worth Watching

Algeria vs Zambia: a new coach, familiar pressure

Brahim Hemdani is only just beginning his work with Algeria’s senior national team, and his first competitive assignment is already one the hosts will be expected to win.

Houssem Aouar and Hicham Boudaoui are absent from his first squad, while Rayan Ait-Nouri, Nabil Bentaleb, Mohamed Amoura and Amine Gouiri remain involved.

Another sign of a changing era: Riyad Mahrez has already retired from international football.

888STARZ:
Algeria — 1.33 | Draw — 4.50 | Zambia — 9.50

For Hemdani, this is the first official test — and there is not much room for a slow start.

Senegal vs Mozambique: the Vieira era begins without Mane

Senegal also have a new coach: Patrick Vieira.

His first window already comes with one major absence. Sadio Mane is not in the squad because of fitness issues, although Vieira has made it clear that this is not an international retirement.

For one of Africa’s strongest sides, it is an early chance to show what the team can look like without its long-time leader in the starting XI.

888STARZ:
Senegal — 1.19 | Draw — 5.95 | Mozambique — 14.40

The line is about as clear as it gets. The more interesting question is what Vieira’s Senegal will look like.

Kenya vs Eritrea: the AFCON hosts begin at home

Kenya already know they will play at AFCON 2027. Their place is guaranteed as one of the three host nations.

That does not make qualifying meaningless.

Kenya are in Group D alongside South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea. Because Kenya are already qualified, only the best of the other three teams will earn an additional place, which means every Kenyan result directly affects the rest of the group.

Their first game is at home to Eritrea on September 26.

The public comparison feed still does not show a separate 888Starz line for this fixture, so we are not going to replace it with prices from another bookmaker.

For Kenya, the game still matters. With less than a year to go before a home AFCON, every competitive international is already part of the preparation.

Key AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Matchday 1 Fixtures

Matchday 1 runs from September 24 to 26, with 24 fixtures across 12 groups.

The opening round is interesting because almost every major nation is starting a new story of some kind.

Renard is back with Ivory Coast and immediately gets Ghana. Ouahbi is rebuilding Morocco. Vieira begins with Senegal without Mane. Hemdani takes charge of Algeria. Egypt return to African competition carrying different expectations after the World Cup.

And Kenya begin the competitive road towards a tournament they will host themselves in less than a year.

That is more than enough for an opening round.