Two matchdays into qualifying for AFCON 2027, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the tables are already throwing up surprises. Here’s where the big names stand.
Ghana: zero points, big questions
The Black Stars lost 2–0 away to Côte d’Ivoire, missing several key players, and then fell 4–2 to The Gambia. Ghana sit bottom of Group C with no points, while Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia have six each.
Nigeria: a reality check
The Super Eagles came from behind to beat Madagascar 2–1, then were beaten 3–0 by Guinea-Bissau. Guinea-Bissau top Group L on six points, with Nigeria second on three.
South Africa and Morocco: perfect starts
Bafana Bafana opened with a 2–1 win over Guinea and lead Group D with six points. Morocco also have a perfect record, beating Gabon 2–0 and Lesotho 2–0.
The rest
- Egypt drew 0–0 with Angola, then thrashed South Sudan 5–0.
- Senegal, now coached by Patrick Vieira, drew 1–1 with Mozambique before winning 1–0 in Ethiopia.
- Côte d’Ivoire, back under Hervé Renard, have won both games without conceding.
- Cameroon beat Comoros 3–1, then drew 1–1 with Congo.
A note on the hosts
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have qualified automatically but are still playing in groups. In those groups, the race is for the qualifying place behind the host, so in Group D, for example, South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea are competing to finish as the top non-host side.
What’s next
Matchdays three and four run from 9 to 17 November 2026, with the final two rounds from 22 to 30 March 2027. Ghana and Nigeria need results, fast.
