Ghana begin their quest for a return to the Africa Cup of Nations with a difficult assignment against familiar rivals La Côte d’Ivoire at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
The Group C opener, scheduled for 7:00pm Ghana time, brings together two of West Africa’s most decorated football nations in a fixture that carries considerable historical weight. The encounter is easily noted as one of the standout matches of the opening round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The Black Stars hold the broader head-to-head advantage, having recorded more victories across their meetings with the Elephants.
However, that superiority has not translated into success when the two sides have met specifically in AFCON qualifying.
Ghana are yet to beat Côte d’Ivoire in an AFCON qualifying fixture. The two countries have met four times in the qualifying competition, with the Ivorians winning three and the other encounter ending in a draw.
Their first qualifying meetings came during the 1974 AFCON campaign. Ghana lost 1-0 away in 1973 before suffering a heavier 3-0 defeat in the return fixture on home soil.
The 1986 qualifiers brought another setback. The Black Stars held the Ivorians to a goalless draw at home before losing 2-0 in the return leg in Côte d’Ivoire in 1985.
That leaves Ghana with an opportunity to erase an unwanted piece of history more than four decades after the sides last met in an AFCON qualifying campaign.
The rivalry has produced several memorable encounters outside qualifying round, most notably the 1992 and 2015 AFCON finals. Côte d’Ivoire prevailed on penalties in both finals, including the dramatic 2015 shootout after a goalless match in Bata.
Ghana Face Selection Problems as New AFCON Cycle Begins
Carlos Queiroz’s side will enter the contest having endured a turbulent build-up, with several players initially selected for the qualifiers subsequently becoming unavailable.
Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo and captain Jordan Ayew are among the notable absentees, leaving Queiroz with fewer established attacking options.
Kudus had been recalled after a lengthy injury absence but withdrew to continue his recovery, while Semenyo also pulled out because of an injury concern. Jordan Ayew was ruled out after an MRI revealed a groin issue.
Ghana have responded by making late additions to the squad, with Queiroz forced to adjust his plans shortly before the opening match. Despite the disruption, the Portuguese coach has described his squad positively ahead of the encounter.
The Black Stars arrived in Bouaké on Wednesday after departing Accra on a Ghana Air Force flight.
They subsequently held their final training session at the Stade de la Paix, with all 23 players who travelled taking part in the session under the floodlights.
For Ghana, the match also represents the beginning of a new continental cycle after missing the 2025 AFCON. The immediate task is to collect points from a challenging away fixture before returning home to face The Gambia in Accra on September 29.
Côte d’Ivoire, meanwhile, are also beginning a new chapter under Hervé Renard, who has returned for a second spell as head coach.
Renard has introduced eight new players into his 25-man squad, although experienced figures such as Franck Kessié and Ibrahim Sangaré remain part of the team.
The Elephants are not at full strength either, with Amad Diallo and Wilfried Singo among those unavailable through injury. Several other familiar names, including Simon Adingra and Sébastien Haller, were also absent from Renard’s selection.
Bouaké Provides a Significant Stage for the Rivalry
The Stade de la Paix adds another layer to Thursday’s encounter. Built for the 1984 AFCON and renovated ahead of the 2023 tournament, the stadium now has a capacity of 40,000 and remains one of Côte d’Ivoire’s major football venues.
The ground hosted several matches during the 2023 AFCON, including the quarter-final between Mali and La Côte d’Ivoire and the semi-final between Nigeria and South Africa. Its modern facilities and capacity are expected to provide a significant home atmosphere for the Elephants.
Côte d’Ivoire will therefore have home advantage, but Ghana’s players know what is at stake in matches between the two nations.
Their most recent meeting was a 0-0 international friendly in 2021, while their last competitive encounter came in the 2015 AFCON final.
The stakes are particularly high because the 2027 qualifying format leaves little room for a slow start. Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are joined in Group C by The Gambia and Somalia, with the first two matchdays taking place during the current international window.
The top two teams in the group will qualify for the 2027 tournament, which will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
For Ghana, however, Thursday’s contest is about more than simply opening the qualifying campaign with points. A victory in Bouaké would end a 41-year wait for an AFCON qualifying win over Côte d’Ivoire and give Queiroz’s new-look Black Stars an immediate statement result.
The history favours neither complacency nor assumptions. Ghana have a narrow lead in overall head to head record, but Côte d’Ivoire have dominated their AFCON qualifying meetings.
At 7pm, the Black Stars will have the chance to change that particular chapter of the rivalry.
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