Renard and Queiroz Meet as Ivory Coast Host Ghana in AFCON Qualifier
The short version
- Ivory Coast host Ghana in Bouake on Thursday to open 2027 AFCON qualifying.
- Renard returned after Fae's contract was not renewed; Queiroz took Ghana to the 2026 World Cup round of 32.
- Ghana miss the injured Mohammed Kudus; Senegal's appeal to CAS over the 2026 final is heard October 8.
- Pitso Mosimane returns as South Africa coach; Cape Verde face Mali under Humberto Bettencourt.
Thursday's match in Bouake opens 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying and pits two of Africa's most traveled coaches against each other.
Thursday brings a heavyweight west African clash in Bouake, where Ivory Coast take on Ghana in the first round of matches for 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying. The fixture is the standout among 24 matches scheduled across matchday one, and it features two coaches with deep AFCON histories. Herve Renard, who guided Ivory Coast to the second of their three continental crowns 11 years ago and also won the title with Zambia in 2012, returned to the Ivorian bench after Emerse Fae, the coach behind the 2024 triumph, was not kept on following a last-32 World Cup defeat by Norway.
Carlos Queiroz, who has led Real Madrid and served twice on Alex Ferguson's Manchester United staff, took over Ghana shortly before the 2026 World Cup and molded an ailing side into a hard-working, defensively sound outfit that reached the round of 32. Ghana were the only side to keep England off the scoresheet at that tournament, and their defense will be tested by Renard's attacking options, which include Real Madrid's Yan Diomande and Bazoumana Toure of Newcastle. Ghana will be without the injured Mohammed Kudus, the creative Tottenham midfielder who also sat out the World Cup.
Elsewhere, Patrick Vieira begins his Senegal tenure away to Mozambique on Friday because Senegal lacks a stadium meeting international standards. Vieira cannot call on the retired Edouard Mendy or the injured Sadio Mane, leaving Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye from the side that beat Morocco in the 2026 final before being stripped of the title. Senegal's appeal of that decision goes before the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 8. South Africa, led again by Pitso Mosimane, meet Guinea in Soweto on Saturday without injured defenders Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Khuliso Mudau, while Cape Verde, now coached by Humberto Bettencourt after Bubista's departure to Renaissance Berkane, visit Mali on Friday.
