Ghana have been placed in the higher-ranked pot for the second-round draw of the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa U23 Cup of Nations, with the Black Meteors set to face one of the winners from the opening round.
The 14 teams exempted from the first round have been divided into two pots according to their ranking, setting up a draw that could produce a series of high-profile encounters on the road to the tournament.
Ghana are among the seven teams in Pot 5, which contains the highest-ranked exempted sides.
Morocco, Mali, Ghana, South Africa, Cte dIvoire, Nigeria and Guinea make up Pot 5.
The other seven exempted nations have been placed in Pot 4, comprising Niger, Algeria, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Zambia and Senegal.
The draw procedure means teams in both pots will be paired with winners from the first round of qualifying.
A team from Pot 4 will be drawn against one of the first-round winners, while another first-round winner will be paired with a team from Pot 5.
The winners of those two second-round ties will then meet in the third round.
The process will continue until all 14 teams entering the competition at the second-round stage have been determined.
For Ghana, the draw represents the beginning of their campaign to return to the U23 AFCON tournament after missing out on the previous edition.
The Black Meteors will be hoping to negotiate what could be a challenging qualifying route and secure a place at the tournament, which will also serve as the pathway to the men’s football competition at the 2028 Olympic Games.
Egypt have already been confirmed as hosts of the 2028 U23 AFCON, while the 2027 qualifying campaign will determine the teams that compete for places in the tournament.
Ghana’s position in Pot 5 means they will avoid facing another of the seven highest-ranked exempted teams in the second round. However, they could still be drawn against a first-round winner before potentially facing another exempted side in the third round.
The inclusion of established African football nations such as Morocco, Nigeria, Cte dIvoire and South Africa in Pot 5 highlights the strength of the field.
Meanwhile, Pot 4 also contains experienced sides including Algeria, Cameroon, Senegal and Zambia.
The first-round results will therefore play a major role in determining the eventual match-ups and Ghana’s route through the qualifiers.
With the draw procedure designed to progressively reduce the field, every tie will carry significant importance as teams battle for a place at the U23 AFCON.
The Black Meteors will now await the outcome of the draw to discover which first-round winner they will face in the second stage of their qualifying campaign.
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