Ghana’s push toward the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 begins on the road. The Black Stars are away to Ivory Coast for matchday 1 of the qualifiers, with kickoff set for Thursday 24 September 2026, 19:00 Accra time.
It is not the smoothest platform to start a campaign from. Ghana have taken 1W 2D 3L from their last six matches this season, a run stretching back to Saturday 23 May 2026, and they arrive on the back of 2 losses in a row. The most recent of those came away to Colombia, beaten 1-0 on Saturday 4 July 2026, about 3 months earlier. Travel has been the bigger problem: away from home this season Ghana have picked up just 0W 2D 3L in 5 matches. Split by competition, the Black Stars have gone 1W 1D 2L in the World Cup and 0W 1D 1L in international friendlies.
Ivory Coast come into this one in noticeably better touch. The Elephants have taken 4W 0D 2L from their last six this season, a run dating back to Thursday 4 June 2026, though they too arrive off the back of a setback, 1 loss in a row, having gone down 1-2 at home to Norway on Tuesday 30 June 2026, about 3 months earlier. On home soil this season they have gone 1W 0D 1L in 2 matches. By competition, Ivory Coast have managed 2W 0D 2L in the World Cup and a clean 2W 0D 0L in international friendlies.
The two nations have crossed paths three times before, most recently a goalless draw in Ghana on Saturday 12 June 2021, about 5 years earlier, in an international friendly. Before that, both meetings came in the African Nations Championship in October 2015: Ghana won 2-1 as hosts on Sunday 18 October 2015, then Ivory Coast won 1-0 as hosts on Friday 30 October 2015, both about 11 years earlier. Over those three games it has been one win each and a draw, neither side holding the edge.
Chale, matchday 1 of a qualifying group always carries its own weight, and with both sides nursing a losing streak of their own right now, neither the Black Stars nor the Elephants will want to start with a setback.
Kojo Banker