Egypt, Senegal, Morocco and Nigeria start quest for AFCON 2027

Morocco were awarded the 2025 title after Senegal were stripped of the crown for walking off the pitch without the referee's permission during the final in Rabat. They play host on Friday to Gabon, who will play their first game since the international retirement of skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

This will be Gabon's first match with former France player Sébastien Migné at the helm, after he took over in July from Thierry Mouyouma.

Morocco, who reached the last eight at the 2026 World Cup, will travel to Bloemfontein in South Africa to face Lesotho on 29 September for their second game in Group A.

Nigeria look to the future

Eric Chelle's failure to take Nigeria to the 2026 World Cup only compounded lingering disappointment from the 2025 Cup of Nations, where his side lost in the semi-final to Morocco.

"We have to forget about last year," said Chelle on the eve of Nigeria's Group L game against Madagascar in Uyo. "We have to go forward and be ambitious at every moment in every training session and in every game. If you do that you give yourself a chance to win."

Chelle will be without star striker Victor Osimhen for the first two games of the AFCON qualifying campaign. The 48-year-old has drafted in 29-year-old Coventry City forward Taiwo Awoniyi to bolster the squad.

Morocco and Senegal battle for supremacy at the Africa Cup of Nations

"It will be a difficult game," Chelle added. "Madagascar is a good team. We have to be ready. It will be a fight."

After the match in Uyo, Nigeria play Guinea-Bissau on 29 September. In November they play AFCON 2027 co-hosts Tanzania and Madagascar.

Under competition rules, only one side from the three pools containing the co-hosts will advance to the 24-team tournament, scheduled to take place between 19 June and 17 July next year. 

In the nine other groups, the top two teams will progress.

Both Senegal and Egypt are expected to emerge from Group I and Group B respectively.

Vieira takes over in Senegal

Senegal go into their match against Mozambique disputing the decision of the Confederation of African Football to divest them of the 2025 crown.

The Senegalese football federation has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to uphold the 1-0 result at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah last January. Lawyers at the tribunal in the Swiss city of Lausanne will discuss the case on 8 October.

New head coach Patrick Vieira said his focus, however, was on the AFCON qualifiers.

“We're expecting a tough match," added the former France international, who was born in Dakar. "But based on what I've seen – particularly their focus and attention to detail – I have no doubt that in terms of our mindset, physically and tactically, we'll be ready to take on a strong Mozambican side."

Senegal will also play Sudan and Ethiopia during their qualifying campaign.

Egyptian football chiefs hit out at World Cup referees following last-16 exit

Egypt, who claimed the last of their seven titles in 2010, reassemble under Hossam Hassan – who led them to the knockout stages at the World Cup, where they lost 3-2 to Argentina in the last 16.

Skipper Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush, Mohamed Abdelmonem and Haissem Hassan feature in a group that retains the core of the squad that played at the World Cup.

Egypt will host Angola at the Cairo International Stadium, before travelling to Juba to face South Sudan on 29 September. They will also play Malawi.