Egypt vs Angola: AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign kicks off in Cairo

The match in Cairo

On 25 September, Egypt hosted Angola at the Cairo International Stadium in the first matchday of Group B in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, according to beIN SPORTS. Kick-off was scheduled for 2:50 p.m. ET. Group B also includes Malawi and South Sudan, with the tournament itself set to be hosted by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda in 2027. None of the sources report a final score, but the BBC published match statistics showing Egypt dominating possession at 66.5% to Angola's 33.5%, with 13 shots to Angola's 9 and 9 corners to Angola's 3. Angola, however, was more clinical on target, recording 2 shots on target from 9 attempts compared with Egypt's 1 from 13. Angola also committed more fouls, 22 against Egypt's 14.

Egypt's record and Salah's role

Egypt is the most successful nation in AFCON history with seven titles, giving the Pharaohs a chance to open their campaign with a home win. Captain Mohamed Salah expressed confidence ahead of the match, noting that the coaching staff — led by Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan — has worked together for three years and built a stable, well-understood squad. According to beIN SPORTS, Salah has scored seven goals and provided two assists in the Turkish Süper Lig this season. Egypt's Youth and Sports Minister, Dr Jawhar Nabil, visited the team's training session before the match and conveyed greetings from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, as reported by Jordan News. This was Egypt's first match since its historic run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the team reached the round of 16 for the first time before losing 3-2 to Argentina after leading 2-0 in the closing minutes.

A new era for Angola

For Angola, the match marked the start of a new era under coach Aliou Cissé, the former Senegal head coach who replaced Patrice Beaumelle. Beaumelle was dismissed after Angola's disappointing group-stage exit at AFCON 2025. Upon his appointment, Cissé said he was honoured to lead an ambitious footballing nation and expressed confidence in building a successful project together. His first assignment — an away match against one of the continent's most successful teams — was a demanding test for the new project. Egypt's qualifying schedule continues with a match against South Sudan on 29 September, followed by a friendly against South Africa on 4 October.