Renard, Vieira and Mosimane headline start of Afcon 2027 qualifying
September 23, 2026 18:31
Qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations gets under way this week as the 48 nations still in contention begin two rounds of matches in an extended international window starting on Thursday. Two further matchdays follow in November, with the final two fixtures scheduled for March, and the top two in nine of the 12 groups will progress to the 24-team finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
KEY CONTEXT
The three hosts are all guaranteed places at the finals, which reduces the number of qualifying spots in their groups and means a second-placed finish in those sections may not be enough to reach the finals.
NEW AND RETURNING COACHES TO WATCH
Several teams begin qualification under new or reinstalled managers. Herve Renard has returned to the Ivory Coast 11 years after leading them to the title and, as the only man to win Afcon with two different nations, starts his second spell at home to Ghana on Thursday. Carlos Queiroz is back in charge of Ghana after guiding the Black Stars to the World Cup last 32, though Tottenham's Mohammed Kudus is among a number of players who have withdrawn from the squad.
Patrick Vieira has taken charge of Senegal and will begin with two away matches, at Mozambique and Ethiopia, because Dakar is preparing to host the 2026 Youth Olympics; Vieira described the role as "an absolute dream". Pitso Mosimane has been reappointed as South Africa manager 14 years after his last spell in charge, and Brahim Hemdani has taken over Algeria following Vladmir Petkovic's departure.
Other changes include Humberto Bettencourt stepping up as Cape Verde coach after long-serving boss Bubista resigned; Bettencourt begins in Mali on Friday before hosting Rwanda on Tuesday. Tunisia have appointed Moin Chaaban after a difficult World Cup campaign that saw Sabri Lamouchi dismissed after one game and Renard unable to reverse their fortunes. Claude Le Roy, at 78, has returned to coach Congo-Brazzaville and aims to appear at a record-extending 10th Afcon finals. Burkina Faso have appointed Amir Abdou, and Aliou Cisse has his first competitive matches in charge of Angola after a stint with Libya.
PLAYERS AND RECENT FOOTBALLING CONTEXT
Cape Verde, one of the breakout stories at the 2026 World Cup, reached the last 32 and pushed Argentina before losing 3-2 after extra time. Several prominent players, including former Afcon winners such as Riyad Mahrez, have retired from international football since the World Cup.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Teams involved in the opening matches will play twice during this international window; additional qualifying rounds are scheduled for November and the groups conclude in March, when final places for the Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda finals will be decided.