Nigeria begin their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign against Madagascar in Uyo as Matchday 1 continues across Africa with 48 nations competing for places.
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series began on Thursday with eight Matchday 1 fixtures played across the continent, with Nigeria set to begin their campaign against Madagascar on Friday.
The Super Eagles will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, in Group L, with kick-off scheduled for 6pm Nigerian time (5pm GMT). Nigeria will be without star striker Victor Osimhen for the opening two qualifiers, after the Galatasaray forward was ruled out with a muscle injury picked up at his Turkish club.
Nigeria are drawn alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and co-hosts Tanzania, who are already guaranteed a place at the 2027 AFCON finals as one of three co-host nations (alongside Kenya and Uganda) automatically qualified for the tournament. The arrangement means only the highest-placed team among Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau will secure the remaining qualification spot from Group L, even though all four teams will still play out the group.
Nigeria’s second Group L fixture will be away to Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday, while Madagascar will face Tanzania on Friday.
Thursday’s Results
Group C Côte d’Ivoire 2-0 Ghana
The Elephants opened their campaign with a comfortable victory over Ghana, with Malick Yalcouyé and Franck Kessié scoring for the hosts in Bouaké. The result marked the start of Hervé Renard’s second spell as Côte d’Ivoire coach, the Frenchman previously led the Elephants to the 2015 AFCON title, and came with Renard handing first senior appearances to eight players, including Yalcouyé.
Group E DR Congo 2-0 Equatorial Guinea
Chancel Mbemba gave DR Congo an early lead before Yoane Wissa doubled the advantage in the second half.
Group E Sierra Leone 2-3 Zimbabwe
Sierra Leone led 2-0 at half-time through Alie Conteh and Sallieu Tarawallie, but Zimbabwe mounted a second-half comeback. Marshall Munetsi scored twice, while Tawanda Chirewa also found the net to secure a 3-2 victory.
Group F Mauritania 3-1 Central African Republic
Mauritania recovered from a first-half setback to claim a 3-1 victory, with Aboubakary Koïta, Dawda Camara and Mamadou Diallo scoring for the hosts.
Group G Namibia 1-0 Congo
Bethuel Muzeu scored in the 47th minute as Namibia began their campaign with a narrow victory.
Group G Cameroon 3-1 Comoros
David Roy Nyengue, Bryan Mbeumo and Daniel Namaso scored as Cameroon secured a 3-1 win, with Comoros briefly reducing the deficit through a free-kick goal.
Group H Tunisia 1-1 Uganda
Tunisia were held to a 1-1 draw by Uganda, with Ali Arous putting the hosts ahead before Rogers Mato equalised for the visitors. The result was co-host Uganda’s opening fixture of the qualifying campaign, though their spot at next year’s finals is already secured.
Group H Libya 2-2 Botswana
Botswana surrendered a two-goal lead as Libya fought back to earn a point. Tumisang Orebonye scored twice for Botswana before Maruwan Alhibeeshi and Ezoo El Mariamy, from the penalty spot in stoppage time, levelled the contest.
Friday’s Fixtures
- Group A: Niger v Lesotho, Morocco v Gabon
- Group B: Malawi v South Sudan, Egypt v Angola
- Group C: Gambia v Somalia
- Group F: Burkina Faso v Benin
- Group I: Togo v Burundi, Algeria v Zambia
- Group J: Sudan v Ethiopia, Senegal v Mozambique
- Group K: Rwanda v Liberia, Mali v Cape Verde
- Group L: Tanzania v Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria v Madagascar
Friday’s card also carries several notable storylines: Egypt, seven-time African champions, host Angola in Cairo; Algeria face Zambia in Tizi-Ouzou; and reigning champions Senegal begin their title defence away to Mozambique under new coach Patrick Vieira, in his first competitive match in charge. Morocco will be without captain and star man Achraf Hakimi against Gabon, who themselves will be missing former captain and all-time top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, after he quit international duty earlier this year.
What’s Next
The Matchday 1 programme will be completed on Saturday, with Group D fixtures seeing co-hosts Kenya face Eritrea and South Africa, under new head coach Pitso Mosimane, in his first competitive match since returning for a third spell in charge, taking on Guinea in Johannesburg.
The qualifiers will run across two matchdays between September 24 and October 6, 2026, with 48 African nations competing across 12 groups for a place at the 24-team AFCON PAMOJA 2027 finals, to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027, marking the tournament’s return to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted in 1976.
