Ghana Target Historic AFCON Qualifying Win Against Côte d’Ivoire
The Black Stars will begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a difficult away assignment against Côte d’Ivoire at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on Thursday evening.
The Group C clash, scheduled for 7pm Ghana time, presents Carlos Queiroz’s side with an opportunity to rewrite an unwanted chapter in the history of the rivalry.
Ghana have the edge in the overall head-to-head record, having faced the Elephants 36 times across all competitions. The Black Stars have won 13 of those meetings, compared with 12 victories for Côte d’Ivoire, while 11 encounters have ended in draws.
However, that advantage disappears when the focus shifts to AFCON qualifying.
The two West African neighbours have met four times in the qualifiers, with Ghana yet to record a victory. Côte d’Ivoire have won three of those matches, while the other ended goalless.
Their first qualifying meetings came during the 1974 AFCON campaign. Ghana suffered a 1-0 defeat in the away leg before losing 3-0 at home.
The pattern continued in the 1986 qualifiers. The Black Stars were held to a goalless draw on home soil before falling to a 2-0 defeat in the return fixture in Côte d’Ivoire.
Thursday’s meeting will therefore be the first AFCON qualifying encounter between the two sides in 41 years, giving Ghana another opportunity to end that long-standing record.
Queiroz Faces Selection Headache
The Black Stars’ preparations have also been complicated by the absence of several important players.
Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo and captain Jordan Ayew are among the notable names unavailable to Queiroz, forcing the Portuguese coach to work with a reshaped squad for the opening fixture.
Côte d’Ivoire have also dealt with some absences, but coach Hervé Renard has retained a number of experienced players as he begins his second spell in charge of the Elephants.
Ghana arrived in Bouaké on Wednesday and immediately turned their attention to the match venue. The team held its final training session at the Stade de la Paix under the floodlights, with all 23 travelling players participating.
The session allowed Queiroz and his technical team to put the finishing touches to their tactical plans before the crucial opener.
The match also marks the beginning of Ghana’s campaign to return to the continental tournament after missing the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
For a team undergoing a period of transition, starting the campaign with a positive result away from home would provide an important foundation.
Bouaké Awaits Another Chapter in Rivalry
The Stade de la Paix provides a fitting setting for another chapter in one of West Africa’s most enduring football rivalries.
The 40,000-capacity stadium was renovated for the 2023 AFCON and hosted several matches during the tournament. Ghana will now attempt to silence the home crowd and secure a result against an Ivorian side playing on familiar territory.
The two countries have not met in a competitive fixture since the 2015 AFCON final in Equatorial Guinea, when Côte d’Ivoire prevailed on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes.
Their most recent meeting came in a friendly in 2021, which also ended 0-0.
History has therefore produced closely contested encounters between the neighbours, but Ghana’s record in AFCON qualifying remains the glaring exception.
The Black Stars will face The Gambia in their second Group C fixture on September 29, while Côte d’Ivoire will also be looking to make a strong start to their campaign.
With The Gambia and Somalia completing the group, every point could prove important in the race for qualification.
For Queiroz, Thursday’s challenge is clear: guide a depleted Ghana side through one of the toughest opening fixtures possible and, in the process, deliver the country’s first-ever AFCON qualifying victory over Côte d’Ivoire.
Kick-off in Bouaké is at 7pm Ghana time.