2027 AFCON Qualifiers: Matchday 3 and 4 games confirmed

Ghana will face Somalia twice in November as the race to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) enters a decisive phase with Matchdays 3 and 4 of the qualifiers.

The Black Stars, who have lost their opening two matches, will be desperate to revive their campaign when they host Somalia on November 12 before travelling for the return fixture on November 16.

Ghana are bottom of Group C without a point following defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia, leaving them with little room for further mistakes if they are to keep their qualification hopes alive.

The November double-header will therefore be crucial for the four-time African champions as they seek to get their campaign back on track.

Elsewhere in Group C, defending champions Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia, both on six points, will meet in Bouaké on November 12 before the return encounter in Bakau five days later.

The November international window, scheduled for November 12 to 17, will feature 48 matches across the continent as teams battle for places at the tournament in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Several groups are expected to produce intriguing contests, with Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, South Africa, DR Congo, Rwanda, Mali and Guinea-Bissau among the sides that have made impressive starts.

In Group K, Mali and Rwanda will put their perfect records on the line when they meet in a double-header, beginning in Bamako before the return fixture in Kigali.

Group J is also finely poised, with Senegal and Mozambique leading on four points each, while Sudan are just one point behind. Senegal will face Sudan, while Mozambique take on Ethiopia in consecutive fixtures.

Morocco will aim to maintain their winning start in Group A when they face Niger twice, while Egypt and Angola, both on four points, will look to strengthen their positions in Group B. Malawi are just one point behind.

South Africa, who have collected maximum points in Group D, will face co-hosts Kenya, whose team is led by former Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy.

DR Congo will also seek to preserve their perfect record in Group E when they take on Sierra Leone, while Cameroon and Uganda will look to consolidate their positions at the top of their respective groups.

In Group F, Benin and Burkina Faso are level at the summit, setting up an important round of fixtures as the competition reaches the halfway stage.

Guinea-Bissau lead Group L with six points, while Nigeria are second on three points ahead of their two meetings with co-hosts Tanzania.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have already secured automatic qualification as tournament hosts. However, the highest-placed team among the remaining sides in each group featuring a co-host will also qualify for the finals.

In the other groups, the top two teams will book their places at the tournament.

The 2027 AFCON, officially known as TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027, will be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.