The road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has begun, with several of Africa’s leading football nations already offering early indications of their ambitions ahead of the tournament.
Although AFCON 2027 is still months away, the opening rounds of qualification have provided plenty of talking points. Some nations have strengthened their credentials following impressive starts, while others, including Nigeria and Ghana, have been left with significant work to do.
Morocco, the reigning African football powerhouse in this cycle, have once again set the early benchmark, while Côte d’Ivoire have also made a strong statement. South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to build on their recent progress, while Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Cameroon remain firmly in contention.
Here is an early look at the leading AFCON 2027 title contenders.
1. Morocco
Morocco remain the team to beat in this early assessment.
Their recent performances have reinforced the cohesion, technical quality and defensive organisation that have made them one of Africa’s most consistent sides in recent years.
The Atlas Lions began their qualifying campaign strongly, defeating Gabon and Lesotho, while several younger players were given opportunities to establish themselves within the senior squad.
The emergence of highly rated youngster Ayyoub Bouaddi adds another exciting dimension to a squad already packed with top-level talent.
Morocco’s combination of experience, tactical organisation and individual quality makes them an obvious contender for the AFCON 2027 crown.
2. Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire have also made an impressive start to their AFCON 2027 campaign.
The 2024 champions opened qualification with victories over Ghana and Somalia, showing little evidence of the transitional concerns that could have followed changes in the coaching setup.
New head coach Hervé Renard brings significant tournament experience, having already won the Africa Cup of Nations twice.
The Elephants defeated Ghana 2-0, with Brighton youngster Malick Yalcouyé among the players who caught the eye, before following that result with another 2-0 victory against Somalia.
With considerable attacking depth and a proven tournament coach, Côte d’Ivoire look well placed to challenge for another continental title.
3. Egypt
Egypt remain one of the most experienced nations in African football and have plenty of attacking quality heading into the new AFCON cycle.
Omar Marmoush was among the standout performers during the latest international window, scoring twice in Egypt’s emphatic 5-0 victory over South Sudan.
The Pharaohs were less convincing in their 0-0 draw with Angola, but the emergence of younger attacking players such as Marmoush, Ibrahim Adel and Hamza Abdelkarim provides Egypt with additional options.
Mohamed Salah remains the country’s biggest star, and Egypt’s ability to combine his experience with the next generation could be crucial at AFCON 2027.
4. Senegal
As the reigning African champions, Senegal naturally remain among the teams to watch.
However, the Teranga Lions are entering a period of transition, with several experienced players approaching the later stages of their international careers and Patrick Vieira taking charge.
Senegal drew 1-1 with Mozambique before securing a narrow victory over Ethiopia through an early goal from Ibrahim Mbaye.
The reigning champions will hope to avoid the difficulties that have affected several previous AFCON winners when attempting to defend their continental crown.
5. DR Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo have emerged as one of the most intriguing teams in the current AFCON cycle.
Under Sébastien Desabre, the Leopards have developed into a competitive side capable of challenging Africa’s traditional heavyweights.
They took maximum points from their opening qualifiers against Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe and will have strong expectations of progressing further when they face Sierra Leone.
Yoane Wissa has also continued to provide a major attacking threat after impressing for both DR Congo and Newcastle United.
A strong qualifying campaign could further establish DR Congo as genuine contenders for the 2027 tournament.
6. Nigeria
Nigeria’s position among the leading contenders comes with an important caveat: the Super Eagles must first qualify.
Nigeria suffered a damaging 3-0 defeat away to Guinea-Bissau, putting immediate pressure on their AFCON qualification campaign.
Despite that setback, the Super Eagles still possess one of the strongest collections of attacking talent on the continent.
Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Akor Adams give Nigeria multiple attacking options, while head coach Eric Chelle has experimented with a diamond formation designed to maximise their strengths.
Nigeria have reached the final and semifinal of the previous two AFCON tournaments, so their pedigree cannot be ignored.
However, with only one team expected to progress from their group because of Tanzania’s position as a host nation, every remaining fixture carries enormous importance.
The eventual meeting with Guinea-Bissau could prove particularly significant.
7. Algeria
Algeria are another major African football nation undergoing a period of transition.
The Fennecs have moved on from Vladimir Petkovic, while former international Brahim Hemdani has taken on a new coaching challenge.
There remains considerable individual quality within the squad despite the international retirement of Riyad Mahrez.
Players including Ibrahim Maza, Anis Hadj Moussa, Bachir Belloumi and Adil Boulbina have demonstrated their attacking potential.
Algeria opened with a 3-1 victory over Zambia and subsequently showed resilience by recovering from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Burundi.
Their ability to blend emerging talent with experienced players could determine how far they progress.
8. South Africa
South Africa have continued to build on the progress made during their recent international campaigns.
Bafana Bafana defeated Eritrea 5-0 in Cairo before securing an important 2-1 home victory over Guinea, with Samukele Kabini scoring the decisive goal late in the match.
The victory against Guinea could prove particularly valuable given the structure of their qualification group.
The arrival of returning coach Pitso Mosimane has also created renewed interest, with younger players such as Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis being given important opportunities.
South Africa’s recent performances at major tournaments suggest they could again be difficult opponents in the knockout stages.
9. Cameroon
Cameroon complete the early top nine.
The Indomitable Lions are still dealing with the disappointment of missing the 2026 World Cup and remain in a period of rebuilding under David Pagou.
They have nevertheless made a positive start to AFCON qualification, moving to the top of their group after a victory over Comoros and a draw with Congo-Brazzaville.
Bryan Mbeumo remains a major attacking asset and scored in Cameroon’s 3-1 victory over Comoros.
However, compared with previous generations, Cameroon currently appear to have less individual depth, meaning their progress could depend heavily on their key players staying fit and delivering consistently.
Which teams could surprise at AFCON 2027?
Beyond the leading contenders, Mali stand out as an interesting potential dark horse.
The Eagles began the qualifying campaign with victories over Cape Verde and Liberia, suggesting they could be entering the tournament cycle in strong form.
Cape Verde, meanwhile, have experienced a difficult start following their impressive World Cup campaign. Consecutive defeats, including a home loss to Rwanda, have increased the pressure on the team to recover quickly.
The East African hosts also face an interesting challenge. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have secured hosting rights for AFCON 2027, but their recent qualifying results have shown the difficulty of competing against the continent’s established powers.
Ghana and Tunisia face major questions
Two notable absences from the leading contenders are Ghana and Tunisia.
Ghana endured a difficult international window, losing 2-0 to Côte d’Ivoire before suffering a dramatic 4-2 defeat to The Gambia after surrendering a two-goal lead in Accra.
The results led to the departure of Carlos Queiroz, leaving the Black Stars needing both a new direction and improved results to secure their place at AFCON 2027.
Tunisia are also searching for answers after a disappointing World Cup campaign.
Draws against Uganda and Botswana have done little to ease concerns, and their upcoming fixtures against Libya should provide a clearer indication of whether the Carthage Eagles can recover their form.
AFCON 2027 race wide open despite early favourites
The early stages of qualification have already created contrasting stories across African football.
Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire have provided the strongest early signals among the leading contenders, while DR Congo and South Africa continue to build momentum.
Nigeria remain dangerous despite their poor start, while Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Cameroon all possess enough quality and tournament experience to challenge.
But qualification itself remains the first objective for several major nations.
With more matches still to come, the AFCON 2027 picture is certain to change considerably before the tournament begins. For now, Morocco sit at the front of the conversation, while the likes of Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Senegal, DR Congo and Nigeria remain firmly in the mix.