AFCON qualifiers could confirm first 2027 finalists

The latest rounds of qualifiers for next year's Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals are set to begin tomorrow, with several teams currently favored to secure a spot in the 24-team tournament. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, and Morocco, all of which participated in the 2022 World Cup, are at the top of the list, having started their AFCON qualification campaign with a perfect record.

The seven-day qualification window will see DR Congo face Sierra Leone, Morocco take on Niger, and Cote d'Ivoire play against Gambia, who previously upset Ghana in Group C in September. The ongoing preliminary rounds are critical for Ghana, who were knocked out of last year's World Cup and are now under pressure to avoid a repeat performance in the upcoming AFCON tournament.

Ghana's coach Carlos Queiroz has been replaced by Kim Lars Bjorkegren, due to the Black Stars' poor start to the qualification campaign. If Ghana fails to qualify, it would be a significant blow to the Super Eagles, as they were semi-finalists in the previous AFCON edition. Other teams facing pressure include Nigeria, who suffered a 3-0 loss to Guinea Bissau in their last Group L qualifier and must secure back-to-back wins against Tanzania to stay in contention.

Additionally, Cape Verde's historic World Cup run is now in jeopardy, as they have lost their first two AFCON qualifiers following their debut appearance at the global stage.