2027 AFCON qualifiers: Cote d'Ivoire vs Ghana – Preview, team news, lineups & predictions

• Ghana face Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday, September 24, at 7:00pm in their opening 2027 AFCON qualifier.

• The Black Stars will be without several key players, including Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew and Thomas Partey.

• Côte d’Ivoire will also miss several players but have Hervé Renard back as coach for the start of a new cycle.

Ghana will begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign with a difficult away trip to face Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on Thursday, September 24, 2026.

The Group C match will be played at the Stade de la Paix and will kick off at 7:00pm Ghana time (GMT).

READ ALSO: 2027 AFCON Qualifiers: Full Matchday 1 and 2 kick-off dates and Time

The game is one of the biggest fixtures of the opening round of the qualifiers, as two African football giants meet. For Ghana, the match comes at a difficult time after several important players became unavailable shortly before the start of the qualifiers.

Black Stars coach Carlos Queiroz initially named a 24-man squad for the qualifiers, but injuries and fitness concerns have forced changes to his plans. Among the players unavailable are Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew and Thomas Partey, while other members of the original squad have also had availability issues.

Kudus had initially returned to the squad after missing the 2026 World Cup because of a long-term injury. However, Queiroz later confirmed that the Tottenham midfielder withdrew so he could continue his recovery.

Queiroz responded to the changes by adding nine players to the squad. They include defenders Jonas Adjetey, Alidu Seidu, Ebenezer Annan and Rockson Yeboah, midfielder Rahim Ibrahim, and forwards Brandon Thomas-Asante, Mohammed Fuseini, Benjamin Tetteh and Felix Afena-Gyan.

The Black Stars held their first training sessions in Accra before travelling to Bouaké on Wednesday. 

READ ALSO: Black Stars leave Accra on Wednesday for crucial Côte d’Ivoire AFCON qualifier

Côte d’Ivoire will also approach the game with changes to their squad and coaching set-up. Hervé Renard has returned as head coach and has begun a new cycle with the Elephants after being appointed for a second spell in charge.

The Frenchman, who guided Côte d’Ivoire to the 2015 AFCON title. Talking about the squad Manchester United’s Amad Diallo will be unavailable because of injury.

In their last 5 matches, Ghana won twice, lost 1 and drew twice, losing in the 2015 AFCON final, when Côte d’Ivoire won 9-8 on penalties after the match ended 0-0 following extra time. Thursday's meeting will be their first competitive encounter in a new AFCON qualifying cycle.

Ghana missed the 2025 AFCON after finishing bottom of their qualifying group, ending a run of appearances that had stretched back to 2006. Ghana will therefore be looking to make a stronger start this time as they begin their attempt to reach the 2027 tournament in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

READ ALSO: Full list of players who have pulled out of Black Stars squad ahead of AFCON qualifiers

Ghana: Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew and Thomas Partey are among the key players unavailable, while Ghana have strengthened the squad with nine late additions.

Côte d’Ivoire: Amad Diallo and Wilfried Singo are unavailable through injury. Odilon Kossounou and Guéla Doué have also been ruled out, with Junior Diaz and Luck Zogbé called up as replacements.

Based on the available squads and reported absences, possible line-ups could be:

Côte d’Ivoire: Yahia Fofana; Luck Zogbé, Evan Ndicka, Ousmane Diomandé, Ghislain Konan; Franck Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré, Christ Inao Oulaï; Nicolas Pépé, Ange-Yoan Bonny, Yan Diomandé.

Ghana: Benjamin Asare, Alexander Djiku, Jonas Adjetey, Gideon Mensah, Kwasi Sibo, Caleb Yirenkyi, Augustine Boakye, Fatawu Issahaku, Enerst Nuamah, Afena-Gyan.

Cote D'Ivoire 3-1 Ghana

After Thursday's game, Ghana will return home to face The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 29, while Côte d’Ivoire will travel to face Somalia.