Ghana’s hopes of reaching the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations have suffered an early setback after defeats by Cote d’Ivoire and The Gambia left the four-time champions bottom of Group C.
The Black Stars are competing against Somalia, The Gambia and Cote d’Ivoire for a place at the tournament, which will be staged in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17. The finals will feature 24 teams and Ghana still have four qualifying matches remaining.
Their next fixtures could prove decisive. Defeats by Cote d’Ivoire and The Gambia have left Ghana needing to improve quickly, while victories in both matches against Somalia would strengthen their position and offer a route back into contention. Another loss would make qualification considerably more difficult.
Ghana have a distinguished record in the competition, having won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982. However, their recent performances have been disappointing. They have appeared at the tournament only twice in recent years, last doing so in 2015, and failed to win a match on either occasion.
The Black Stars were eliminated in the group stage at AFCON 2021 and AFCON 2023, before failing to qualify for the competition in Morocco last year. Those results have weakened confidence in Ghana among bettors, despite the country’s standing as one of Africa’s most respected football nations.
Kenya prepares for a major tournament
Kenya will automatically qualify as one of the three host nations, alongside Tanzania and Uganda. The tournament will be known as Pamoja, a Swahili word meaning “together”.
Preparations in Kenya include improvements to stadiums, training facilities and supporting infrastructure. Hosting an event of this scale presents logistical challenges but is also expected to bring significant benefits.
Coverage of AFCON 2027, including predictions for some of the tournament’s key matches, is available through Efirbet.
Betting markets and odds
Ghana’s results are likely to influence interest in several betting markets. The 1X2 market, which requires a prediction of a win, draw or defeat, is one of the most common options. Over/under goals markets may also attract attention, given the number of goals recorded across Ghana’s opening two qualifiers.
The Both Teams to Score market could be considered when Ghana face opponents with strong attacking records. Bookmakers are also expected to offer markets beyond individual fixtures, including the outright winner, group winner, match result and over/under goals.
Decimal odds indicate the probability assigned to an outcome before a bookmaker’s margin is applied. Odds of 2.00, for example, imply a 50% probability. Margins vary between operators, making the choice of bookmaker important, particularly as betting activity in Kenya increases.
Ghana’s history gives them a strong reputation, but their current qualification position and recent record mean they enter the campaign as underdogs. Odds will continue to change as qualification progresses.
