Rwanda’s national football team, Amavubi, are preparing for two crucial encounters against Mali as the race for places at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) enters an important stage, with 24 matches scheduled across the continent between November 12 and 17.
The November international window will feature the third and fourth rounds of the qualifiers, with several African football powerhouses facing direct rivals in matches that could significantly influence the standings in all 12 groups.
For Rwanda, attention will be firmly on Group K, where Amavubi are set to meet Mali twice within four days. Both teams have collected six points from their opening two matches, making the double-header particularly important in the battle for the group's top position.
Rwanda will first travel to face Mali on November 13 before hosting the West African side on November 17.
Amavubi head into the contest after winning their opening matches against Cape Verde and Liberia, giving them a strong start to their qualification campaign. However, Mali also arrive with maximum points, setting up one of the most anticipated encounters of this qualifying window.
The two meetings will provide Rwanda with an opportunity to strengthen their position and move closer to securing a place at the continental finals.
Top teams face important tests across Africa
Beyond Group K, several other groups will feature encounters between teams competing for control of their respective qualification races.
In Group A, Morocco will face Niger twice as the group leaders look to maintain their perfect record. Gabon will also meet Lesotho in a double-header as they seek to improve their position.
Group B will see Egypt take on Malawi, while Angola face South Sudan. Egypt and Angola currently have four points each and will be looking to strengthen their qualification chances.
Group C features one of the biggest contests of the window, with Ivory Coast and Gambia, both on six points, meeting twice. Ghana will also face Somalia in two matches as both sides seek their first points after difficult opening results.
In Group D, South Africa will meet Kenya, while Guinea face Eritrea. South Africa currently lead the group after winning their opening two matches.
Group E will see DR Congo take on Sierra Leone, while Equatorial Guinea face Zimbabwe. DR Congo will be looking to maintain their position at the top of the group.
In Group F, Burkina Faso will face Mauritania in two important encounters, while Benin take on the Central African Republic. The group remains competitive, with both Benin and Burkina Faso among the early leaders.
Group G will feature Cameroon against Namibia, alongside Comoros facing the Republic of Congo. Cameroon will be aiming to strengthen their position at the top.
In Group H, Tunisia will meet Libya twice, while co-hosts Uganda face Botswana. Tunisia will be looking to create a gap at the top, while Uganda will seek to improve their standing.
Group I features Algeria against Togo, with Zambia also taking on Burundi in two encounters. Algeria currently lead the group, but Togo and the other contenders will be looking to close the gap.
In Group J, Senegal will face Sudan, while Mozambique take on Ethiopia. Both Senegal and Mozambique have made strong starts and will be aiming to consolidate their positions.
Finally, Group L will see Nigeria face co-hosts Tanzania twice, while Guinea-Bissau meet Madagascar. Nigeria will be under pressure to respond after suffering a 3-0 defeat against Guinea-Bissau in their previous encounter.
Full AFCON 2027 qualifying fixtures
The following are the scheduled matches for the third and fourth rounds of the qualifiers.
Group A
November 13
Gabon vs Lesotho
Morocco vs Niger
November 17
Lesotho vs Gabon
Niger vs Morocco
Group B
November 13–14
Egypt vs Malawi
Angola vs South Sudan
November 17
Malawi vs Egypt
South Sudan vs Angola
Group C
November 12
Ghana vs Somalia
Ivory Coast vs Gambia
November 16–17
Somalia vs Ghana
Gambia vs Ivory Coast
Group D
November 12–13
Guinea vs Eritrea
South Africa vs Kenya
November 16–17
Eritrea vs Guinea
Kenya vs South Africa
Group E
November 12
DR Congo vs Sierra Leone
Equatorial Guinea vs Zimbabwe
November 16–17
Zimbabwe vs Equatorial Guinea
Sierra Leone vs DR Congo
Group F
November 12–13
Benin vs Central African Republic
Burkina Faso vs Mauritania
November 16–17
Central African Republic vs Benin
Mauritania vs Burkina Faso
Group G
November 12–13
Cameroon vs Namibia
Comoros vs Republic of Congo
November 16–17
Namibia vs Cameroon
Republic of Congo vs Comoros
Group H
November 13–14
Tunisia vs Libya
Uganda vs Botswana
November 17
Libya vs Tunisia
Botswana vs Uganda
Group I
November 13–14
Zambia vs Burundi
Algeria vs Togo
November 17
Burundi vs Zambia
Togo vs Algeria
Group J
November 12–13
Senegal vs Sudan
Mozambique vs Ethiopia
November 16–17
Sudan vs Senegal
Ethiopia vs Mozambique
Group K
November 13
Cape Verde vs Liberia
Mali vs Rwanda
November 17
Rwanda vs Mali
Liberia vs Cape Verde
Group L
November 12–13
Madagascar vs Guinea-Bissau
Nigeria vs Tanzania
November 17
Tanzania vs Nigeria
Guinea-Bissau vs Madagascar
Only two matches will remain after November
Following the November fixtures, teams will have two remaining matches, scheduled for March 2027, to determine their qualification fate.
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will take place from June 19 to July 17 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, which have automatically qualified as co-hosts.
In groups without a host nation, the top two teams will qualify, while in groups containing one of the co-hosts, only the highest-placed remaining team will secure an additional place at the finals.
For Rwanda, the two meetings against Mali represent an important opportunity to strengthen their position in Group K and take another step towards returning to the AFCON finals.
With the competition approaching its decisive stage, Amavubi will be looking to turn their promising start into a successful qualification campaign.
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