Just eight months after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final — a result still under dispute at the Court of Arbitration for Sport — the race to reach Afcon 2027 has begun. The 48 nations still in contention will contest two rounds of qualifying during this extended international window, with further matches in November and a concluding pair of fixtures in March.

The top two teams in nine of the 12 qualifying groups will advance to the 24-team finals, which will be held across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Because all three host nations are guaranteed a place at the tournament, only one qualification spot is available in each of their groups — making a second-place finish a potentially insufficient achievement for rivals in those pools.

High-profile arrivals in the dugout

The most eye-catching appointment in this window is Hervé Renard's return to Ivory Coast, more than 11 years after he first guided the Elephants to the Afcon title. The 57-year-old Frenchman — the only coach to have won the continental crown with two different nations — opens his second stint in charge against Ghana at home on Thursday, in the standout fixture of the opening round.

Across the touchline, Carlos Queiroz is back leading Ghana's Black Stars following his work at the FIFA World Cup 2026. His squad is, however, missing Tottenham's Mohammed Kudus and several other first-choice players.