CAF Ambassador and former Cte dIvoire captain Max Gradel has expressed confidence that the Elephants will navigate a challenging path to AFCON 2027 qualification despite being drawn in a difficult Group C in Cairo on Tuesday.Cte dIvoire, the reigning African champions, were paired with long-time rivals Ghana in what is widely regarded as the Group of Death, alongside Gambia and Somalia.While acknowledging the difficulty of the draw, Gradel struck an optimistic tone about his countrys chances of progression, insisting belief remains high within the squad setup.Because this group is a difficult group, but we are used to it. So I believe that we will do everything we can to qualify. I believe in the team, so there is no problem, Gradel said after the draw. But this group is still a difficult one.The former winger, who retired from international football in March 2024 after captaining Cte dIvoire to their third continental title, was present as a draw assistant at CAF headquarters in Cairo.His remarks come against the backdrop of a storied rivalry with Ghana, with the two nations having met in two Africa Cup of Nations finals, underlining the intensity of their latest qualification meeting.The AFCON 2027 qualifiers are scheduled to begin in late 2026, with matchdays running from September into March 2027, before the final tournament co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
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