Former Super Eagles defender reacts to Ghana vs Ivory Coast AFCON 2027 qualifying draw

Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has expressed excitement following the draw for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, particularly the heavyweight showdown between Ghana and Ivory Coast.

The two West African football giants were paired together in Group C during the draw ceremony held in Cairo, Egypt. They will also face Gambia and Somalia in what many observers already consider one of the toughest groups of the qualification campaign.

The 2027 AFCON tournament will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with the competition scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027.

Troost-Ekong, who served as one of the draw assistants during the ceremony, acknowledged that several groups promise intense competition and exciting fixtures throughout the qualifiers.

“I am really excited to see the draw for the qualification groups. For Nigeria, we have seen teams that we have faced before, like Tanzania, Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau,” the Nigerian defender said.

The experienced centre-back then turned his attention to the headline clash involving Ghana and Ivory Coast.

He added, “Also, I think there are going to be some really tough groups. I am looking forward to seeing how Ivory Coast and Ghana do against The Gambia and Somalia. But all the groups are going to be really exciting, and it will be a great run-up to the tournament in 2027.”

A total of 48 nations are participating in the AFCON 2027 qualification campaign, divided into 12 groups containing four teams each.

The top two teams from every group will secure qualification for the tournament finals. However, in groups containing co-host nations Kenya, Tanzania, or Uganda, only one additional team will qualify since the hosts already have automatic spots.