# Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Approach Decisive Phase Top teams aim to secure early qualification spots in upcoming international matches. - **Source:** [Arab News](https://www.arabnews.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-10 - **Topic:** [sports](https://brifing.si/c/sports) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/384c3bbb-555d-490c-8417-f26dc2a19ed1 ## Qualification Race Intensifies The latest round of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers begins this Thursday, potentially confirming the first finalists for the 2027 tournament. Co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, the event runs from June 19 to July 17. Teams are competing across twelve groups, with two nations advancing from almost every single group. ## Frontrunners Eye Early Spots Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, and Morocco lead the list of favorites to maintain their perfect records. These nations, all recent World Cup participants, can secure their places in the 24-team finals with victories in their upcoming matches. They face Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Niger respectively over the next seven days. ## Ghana Faces Critical Pressure Ghana finds itself in a precarious position after a poor start to the campaign, including a shock home defeat against Gambia. Following the departure of coach Carlos Queiroz, Swedish manager Kim Lars Bjorkegren has taken charge on a caretaker basis. The team must now secure wins against Somalia to restore their standing. ## Nigeria Seeks Crucial Recovery Nigeria, a semifinalist in the previous tournament, faces significant pressure following an embarrassing 3-0 loss to Guinea Bissau. The Super Eagles must achieve a double victory over Tanzania in their upcoming fixtures to avoid a catastrophic exit. Failure to qualify would represent a major blow to the nation's footballing reputation and administration. ## Somalia Relinquishes Home Advantage Somalia will play both of their upcoming qualifiers against Ghana in Sekondi rather than on home soil. This decision stems from the lack of an international standard stadium within the country. Consequently, the Somalis lose the traditional benefits of playing at home, significantly altering the dynamics of these specific group stage encounters. ## Cape Verde Struggles for Form Cape Verde, which previously thrilled fans by advancing past the group stage in their World Cup debut, currently sits at the bottom of Group K. Having lost their opening two qualifiers, the island nation faces a difficult path against Liberia. They must secure points in both upcoming matches to remain competitive. ## Squad Updates and Availability Ghana welcomes back captain Jordan Ayew and Mohammed Kudus following their recovery from injuries. However, Antoine Semenyo remains sidelined for the upcoming qualifiers. These roster adjustments are vital as the team attempts to navigate a challenging period and secure necessary points to keep their qualification hopes for the tournament alive. ## Tournament Qualification Mechanics The current ten-day international window covers the third and fourth sets of group games. The final two rounds of qualifying are scheduled for March, providing a definitive conclusion to the process. With twenty-four teams set to participate in the finals, the competition remains fierce as nations fight to avoid early elimination. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.arabnews.com/football/cup-of-nations-qualifiers-could-produce-first-finalists-for-2027-tournament-3011034 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._