By Abukar Osman - Reporter
Egypt, 19 May 2026 – Somalia faces Ivory Coast, Ghana and Gambia in a tough 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group.
The draw ceremony held in Cairo on Tuesday placed Somalia in Group C alongside the three West African sides, with Somali football officials attending the event.
A total of 48 national teams were divided into 12 groups for the qualifiers, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the final tournament.
Somalia’s “Ocean Stars” reached this stage for the first time in the country’s football history, a development seen as a significant milestone despite the challenge posed by more experienced opponents.
Ivory Coast have won the AFCON title three times and are currently ranked 34th in the world and sixth in Africa in the latest FIFA rankings.
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Ghana, four-time African champions, are ranked 74th globally and 14th in Africa.
Gambia, who are still seeking their first AFCON title, reached the quarter-finals in their best tournament performance and are currently ranked 116th in the world and 30th in Africa.
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, with the tournament scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
Somalia will now face a difficult qualification campaign as the country seeks to reach the tournament that will be hosted in the East African region for the first time in decades.