Ghana have been drawn alongside 2023 AFCON champions Côte d’Ivoire in the qualifying stage for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, following the official group stage draw held in Cairo, Egypt.
The Black Stars, four-time African champions, will face the Elephants, The Gambia and Somalia in Group C, a group that on paper presents a stern test of Ghana’s resolve to return to the continental stage after a deeply embarrassing absence from the last edition.
Ghana failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, finishing bottom of their qualifying group containing Angola, Sudan and Niger, a low point that the team hadn’t reached in two decades and sent shockwaves through Ghanaian football triggering widespread calls for structural reform within the game at home.
The 2027 edition now represents not just a qualifying campaign, but a mission to restore national pride. Only the top two teams from Group C will advance to the finals, making every point in the group critical.
Results of the Full Draw
The draw, conducted in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, produced twelve groups in total, each containing four nations battling for a place at the finals.
The groups are as follows:
Group A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho.
Group B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South
Sudan. Group C: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Somalia.
Group D: South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea.
Group E: Congo DR, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe.
Group F: Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic.
Group G: Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo.
Group H: Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, Botswana.
Group I: Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi.
Group J: Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia.
Group K: Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia.
Group L: Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau.
Notable ties include Egypt facing Angola in Group B, defending finalists Senegal heading Group J, and Nigeria placed in Group L alongside Madagascar, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau.
Somalia’s inclusion in Group C alongside Ghana is itself a landmark moment. The Ocean Stars will be competing in the group stage of AFCON qualifying for the first time in their history, making their date with Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire a historic one regardless of the results on the pitch.
The 2027 AFCON, themed Pamoja, meaning “Together” in Swahili will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, marking the first time in the competition’s history that three nations have shared hosting duties.
It is an unprecedented arrangement that reflects the continent’s ambition to grow the tournament’s footprint and reach.
Due to the tri-nation hosting arrangement, a special qualification rule applies. Groups containing Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania; Groups D, H and L respectively will send only one qualifying team to the finals, as the host nations receive automatic berths.
All other groups will send their top two finishers for the tournament next year.
For Ghana, the road back to AFCON relevance begins in Group C. The task is clear, the stakes are high, and the opponents are unforgiving. Redemption, if it comes, will have to be earned.
The qualifying campaign will begin from September 1 and end in March with the main tournament expected to Kickstart in June 2027.
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