Hervé Renard will begin his second spell as Côte d’Ivoire manager when the Elephants host Ghana in their opening Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifier on Thursday.
The match at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké is scheduled to kick off at 19:00 GMT, with Renard calling for discipline and humility from his players as they begin their qualifying campaign.
The Frenchman, who guided Côte d’Ivoire to AFCON glory in 2015, has warned his players not to underestimate Ghana, despite the Elephants having home advantage.
“Ghana is a great African team that performed well at the 2026 World Cup, including in a great match against England. They are a very disciplined team that waits to counter at the slightest opening, with a great coach. This is a major fixture in African football, and we will have to be ready,” he explained at a press conference.
Renard believes the contest could be determined by small details, with both sides expected to provide a strong challenge in one of the opening fixtures of the qualifying campaign.
“When two great teams play each other, the match will be decided by details. But we have enough character to approach it properly.”
The coach has also played down the significance of the opening result in determining who eventually qualifies for the tournament.
“There are six matches to play. Sometimes you lose the first match and then win all the others. So in football, nothing is ever written in advance. We know very well that every opponent in this group will give everything to qualify for this Africa Cup. So we must show humility. The favorites are favorites on paper; qualification is won on the pitch. And to give ourselves the best possible chance, we must be ready tomorrow.”
Renard was appointed Côte d’Ivoire manager on 4 August 2026, replacing Émerse Faé. His return marks the start of another period in charge of the national side after his previous spell ended following his successful 2015 AFCON campaign.
The coach has also made changes to the squad for his first camp, selecting 25 players, including eight who are new to the senior group.
Among the new additions are Christ Tapé, Kassoum Ouattara, Malick Yalcouyé, Patrick Zabi, Eddy Doué, Amadou Koné, Yann Gboho and Rayan Fofana.
Captain Franck Kessié, speaking alongside Renard, also acknowledged the difficulty of facing Ghana and described the fixture as a derby.
“Of course, when you play Ghana, it’s a derby. Ghana is also a great African football nation, with some very, very good players. We are not going to rush things, as the coach pointed out. We have to be ready.”
Kessié has also reassured the coach that he is physically prepared for the match after returning to Atalanta on 29 August on a multi-year contract.
“I have already played three matches, so I think that if I wasn’t physically ready, the coach wouldn’t have called me up. So if I am here, it means I am physically ready.”
His experience is expected to be an important part of a squad that has been refreshed with several younger players under Renard.
The Ghana fixture is the first of three matches scheduled for Côte d’Ivoire during the current international window.
After facing Ghana in Bouaké, the Elephants will travel to meet Somalia on 29 September in their second qualifying-round fixture.
They will then finish the window with a friendly against Cameroon on 3 October at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpé.
For Renard, the three matches will provide the first opportunity to establish the foundations of his second tenure as Côte d’Ivoire manager.
The immediate focus, however, is on Ghana, with the French coach insisting that his players must approach the opening qualifier with discipline, concentration and humility.
