Ivory Coast host Ghana tonight in a blockbuster Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. It is the first round of the qualification period for the 2027 tournament, which has been moved to the summer after traditionally being played across the December, January and February.
New era under Herve Renard
Ivory Coast begin a new era under Herve Renard. The Frenchman has returned for a second spell in charge, having led the Elephants to AFCON glory in 2015. He has replaced Emerse Fae, who guided Ivory Coast to their third continental title in 2023.
Renard has already begun reshaping the squad, naming eight newcomers in his first 25-man selection. The likes of Franck Kessie, Ibrahim Sangare and Ousmane Diomande provide an experienced spine, while Yan Diomande is among the attacking options available to the new manager.
Ghana's depleted squad
Ghana missed the 2025 finals after finishing bottom of their qualifying group, failing to win any of their six matches. Carlos Queiroz has now been tasked with ending that drought and guiding Ghana back to the continental stage.
Queiroz have been hit by several withdrawals. Captain Jordan Ayew, Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo and Tottenham's Mohammed Kudus are among those unavailable for the opener, leaving Queiroz with a depleted squad. Kudus had been recalled after recovering from a seven-month injury absence, but will miss the trip to Bouake. Alexander Djiku, Nathaniel Adjei, Ibrahim Sulemana and Ibrahim Osman are among those returning to the squad.
How to watch for free
TV channel: No UK broadcaster has been announced for Ivory Coast vs Ghana, which kicks off at 8pm BST, which is 7pm local time.
Live stream: But have no fear. According to popular TV listings website LiveOnSat, the match is being shown on free-to-air channels GTV Sports+, based in Ghana, RTi La 3, which is an Ivory Coast outlet. You can watch La 3 live for free on their website, by clicking here. GTV Sports+ is part of the GBC (Ghana Broadcasting Company), which broadcasts live coverage on their YouTube channel.
