Nigeria get Tanzania but Ghana go face Ivory Coast for Afcon 2027 qualifiers

Dem don pair Ghana wit Ivory Coast for tricky qualifying group for di 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

Di Black Stars no dey for di top pot of seeds for di draw, sake of say dem drop go down for di world rankings afta dia failure to reach di previous edition of di tournament wey hold for Morocco in December and January.

Di two West African heavyweights go meet for Group C, wia dem go also face The Gambia, way make am to di quarterfinals of di 2021 Afcon on dia debut, and Somalia.

"Why always us? Dis group na difficult group," na so former Ivory Coast international Max-Alain Gradel, wey carry di trophy wit di Elephants on home soil in 2022 and follow as one of di assistants for di draw in Cairo.

"But we go do evri tin wey we gatz do to qualify. I believe in di team so problem no dey."

Na Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda go co-host di next Afcon, wey go hold from 19 June to 17 July 2027.

Di 48 teams wey dey look to reach di finals don dey divided into 12 groups of four, wit di top two sides go qualify afta six rounds of fixtures.

However, tins come dey somehow sake of say di three co-hosts go still get place for di tournament, so only one oda team for dia respective groups go fit book a ticket.

Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia all get small chance of error afta dem draw along wit one of di three hosts.

Kenya go face Eritrea, wey don return to Afcon afta dem qualify for di first time since preliminaries for di 2008 finals, Guinea and South Africa for Group A.

Also, record seven-time champions Egypt dey drawn along wit Angola, Malawi and South Sudan.

Di first four rounds of qualifying go spread across September, October and November dis year, wit di final two fixtures wey go hold for March next year.

Wait for ruling on Afcon 2025 final kontinu

Di identity of di 2025 Afcon champions na still issue afta Senegal beat tournament host Morocco 1-0 afta extra time for final wey get controversy on 18 January.

Many Teranga Lions players waka comot di pitch in protest sake of decision to award Morocco penalty for second-half stoppage time, wey make dem delay di match by about 17 minutes before Senegal goalkeeper save Brahim Diaz penalty.

But, on 17 March, a Confederation of African Football appeal board imposed a 3-0 forfeit on Senegal for breaching tournament regulations and award di trophy to di North African host.

Di Senegalese Football Federation don contest dat decision and carry di case go di Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), wey neva rule on di mata.

Afcon 2027 qualifying draw

Group A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho

Group B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan

Group C: Ivory Coast, Ghana, The Gambia, Somalia

Group D: South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea

Group E: DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe

Group F: Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic

Group G: Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo-Brazzaville

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

Matchdays one and two: 21 September to 6 October 2026

Matchdays three and four: 9-17 November 2026

Matchdays five and six: 22-30 March 2027