From Renard to Vieira: New coaches take charge in AFCON qualifiers

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The road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations begins this week with a number of prominent coaches facing their first competitive tests in new jobs.

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From Hervé Renard’s return to Côte d’Ivoire to Patrick Vieira’s new chapter with Senegal, several of Africa’s leading teams enter the qualifying campaign with fresh faces in the dugout and new ideas to implement.

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The opening two rounds of qualifiers, running from September 24 to October 6, will provide an early indication of how quickly the new coaches can make their mark. Forty-eight nations have been drawn into 12 groups, with the top two advancing from groups without a co-host.

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Renard has arguably the most familiar task. The Frenchman is back for a second spell with Côte d’Ivoire, having previously guided the Elephants to the 2015 AFCON title.

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His return has already brought signs of a new cycle, with eight newcomers included in his first 25-man squad. Côte d’Ivoire begin against Ghana in Bouaké on Thursday before travelling to face Somalia five days later.

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The meeting with Ghana also puts Renard up against Carlos Queiroz, who has been retained as Black Stars coach after leading the team to the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup. The Portuguese coach was initially appointed on a short-term basis but has now been given a new mandate ahead of the AFCON qualifiers.

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For Vieira, the challenge is different but equally significant.

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The former France international has taken over Senegal and will begin his tenure with away matches against Mozambique and Ethiopia. His first squad has already signalled a period of change, with Sadio Mané absent because of a reported physical issue and several new players given opportunities.

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Vieira’s appointment marks another major coaching change for a Senegal side that has established itself among Africa’s leading teams. His first competitive matches will therefore offer an early glimpse of how the former Arsenal midfielder intends to shape the team.

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Elsewhere, Pitso Mosimane is back in charge of South Africa for a third spell. The highly decorated coach replaces Hugo Broos and immediately faces a qualifying campaign in which only one team besides automatic qualifiers Kenya can advance from Group D. South Africa open against Guinea before facing Eritrea.

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Morocco have also begun a new era under Mohamed Ouahbi, who will lead the Atlas Lions against Gabon in their opening Group A fixture.

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With several established coaches returning and others beginning their first competitive assignments, the opening rounds of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers will be as much about the men in the dugouts as the players on the pitch.

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For Renard, Vieira, Queiroz, Mosimane and the other new appointments, the qualifying campaign offers little time for adjustment. The race for places at the tournament in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda has already begun.

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The new coaches as reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday

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Hervé Renard — Côte d’Ivoire

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Patrick Vieira — Senegal

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Pitso Mosimane — South Africa

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Moïne Chaabani — Tunisia

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Brahim Hemdani — Algeria

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Humberto Bettencourt — Cape Verde

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Carlos Queiroz — Ghana —

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Amir Abdou — Burkina Faso

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Aliou Cissé — Angola

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Claude Le Roy — Congo-Brazzaville

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