Three-time African champions Ivory Coast will once again renew their long-standing rivalry with Ghana after the two football giants were drawn together in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The West African rivals headline Group C, which also includes Gambia and Somalia, but it is the latest chapter of the Ivory Coast-Ghana rivalry that is already drawing the most attention across the continent.
Few fixtures in African football carry as much history, tension and balance as meetings between the Elephants and the Black Stars.
Across decades of encounters, neither side has managed to establish clear dominance, with the rivalry remaining remarkably even.
Historical records show Ivory Coast have won seven matches against Ghana, while the Black Stars have six victories. Three encounters ended in draws, while both countries have scored exactly 46 goals each against the other.
The rivalry dates back to the 1965 AFCON in Tunisia, where Ghana defeated Ivory Coast 4-1.
Three years later, the Black Stars again edged the Ivorians in a dramatic 4-3 victory after extra time at the 1968 tournament.
Another painful defeat for the Elephants followed in 1970, when Ghana secured a 2-1 extra-time victory in Sudan.
However, Ivory Coast gradually began to shift the balance during the following decades.
The Elephants defeated Ghana 1-0 in an international friendly in 1986 before recording one of the most significant victories in their football history at the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations.
That final in Senegal remains one of the most memorable matches ever played at the tournament.
After a tense stalemate, Ivory Coast triumphed 11-10 in a marathon penalty shootout to secure their first continental title.
The rivalry continued to produce dramatic moments throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Ivory Coast defeated Ghana 2-1 at the 1994 AFCON and later recorded a 2-0 victory at the 2000 edition.
Ghana responded emphatically on home soil at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, defeating the Elephants 4-2 in a thrilling contest in Accra.
Two years later, Ivory Coast gained revenge with a 3-1 victory during the 2010 tournament in Angola.
Perhaps the most unforgettable recent meeting came in the final of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.
Once again, the match went to penalties after ending goalless, with Ivory Coast eventually winning 9-8 in another dramatic shootout to lift the trophy for a second time.
Their most recent encounter came in June 2021, when the two nations played out a 0-0 draw in an international friendly.
While Ghana will provide the biggest challenge in the group, Ivory Coast also hold a strong record against Gambia.
The Elephants have won all five previous meetings between the two nations, including World Cup qualifying victories in both 2013 and 2023.
Somalia, meanwhile, will face Ivory Coast for the first time in their history during the qualification campaign.
For Ivory Coast, qualification for AFCON has become almost routine. The Elephants have appeared at the continental tournament 26 times and lifted the trophy in 1992, 2015 and 2023.
Yet the draw has ensured that the road to the 2027 finals will not be straightforward.
Ghana, despite recent inconsistencies, remain one of Africa’s most decorated national teams and rarely need extra motivation when facing their regional rivals.
