AFCON: Guinea launch early bid for 2027 edition

Guinea national team coach Paulo Duarté has embarked on a player-scouting mission in Diaspora ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The Portuguese mentor will travel to Europe and the Gulf Region alongside his deputy De Ruiz Ramos Tiago and team manager Ousmane Decazy Camara from January 10 to 20.

A statement from the Guinea Football Federation (FEGUIFOOT) says the objective of the tour is to “assess the motivation of the players representing Guinea, reinforce the image and institutional credibility of the FGF.

The tour also seeks to “establish structured contact with the clubs and the different actors involved, and better understand the sporting, contractual and personal situation of each player, with a view to their future integration into their national team.”

When will the 2027 AFCON qualifiers begin?

FGF cited Saudi Arabia and Qatar as among the particular countries Duarté will visit.

The Syli National failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON finals after finishing in third place in Group H. Tanzania and the DR Congo made it to the Morocco tournament from the pool.

The qualifiers for the 2027 AFCON will begin on March 24 and run up to November 2026 with teams fighting for the 24 slots for the next edition scheduled for Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

FEGUIFOOT hired Duarté in August 2025 after parting ways with French coach Michel Dussuyer in May following a series of poor results in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Duarte led Burkina Faso to a third-place finish at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.