2027 AFCON Qualifiers: Ghana without a single point and Nigeria trailing ahead of November 11

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers resume on November 11, 2026, with the third matchday, followed by the fourth on November 15. After only two matchdays, two of the continent's most decorated nations, Ghana and Nigeria, are already in a perilous situation.

Ghana, a four-time African champion, sits at the bottom of Group C with zero points and a goal difference of -4, behind Ivory Coast and Gambia, who have six points each, according to the standings from Foot Mercato and Foot Sur 7. The Black Stars host Somalia on November 11, then travel to face them on the 15th.

Nigeria, a three-time winner, is second in Group L with three points and a goal difference of -2, three points behind Guinea-Bissau, which has six points and has not conceded a goal. The Super Eagles lost 3-0 in Bissau on September 29, 2026, after beating Madagascar 2-1. The trap is structural: co-host Tanzania occupies this group and is already qualified, meaning only one ticket is available for Nigeria, Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau. Nigeria hosts Tanzania on November 11 before the return leg on the 15th.

Twenty-one tickets, not one more

The 2027 AFCON, scheduled from June 19 to July 17, 2027, will bring together 24 teams. Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, hosts of the tournament dubbed "Pamoja," are automatically qualified. This leaves 21 spots for the other 45 contenders, divided into twelve groups of four.

The mechanism is unusual: the top two from the nine groups without a host country qualify, totaling eighteen qualifiers, to which are added, in groups D, H, and L, the best of the three non-organizing countries. Only one per group, which turns each of these pools into a long-term knockout competition.

Other giants on the edge

Tunisia is also a cause for concern: two points and two draws in Group H, behind Uganda (4 points) and tied with Botswana. They host Libya on November 11, before the return leg in Tripoli on the 15th. Cape Verde, a revelation in recent years, is at zero points in Group K, dominated by Rwanda and Mali, with six points each.

Group F is the tightest on the continent: Benin and Burkina Faso have four points, Mauritania three. No team is mathematically eliminated yet, but after November, only two matchdays will remain, on March 24 and 28, 2027.

At this stage, the top scorers of the qualifiers are Gambian Ebrima Colley and Zimbabwean Marshall Munetsi, with three goals each, according to Foot Sur 7. Regarding infrastructure, Afrik-Foot reports construction delays in the host countries, with no decision announced by CAF.