Senegal Forced to Host Mozambique in Maputo for AFCON 2027 Qualifier

Posted : 10 September 2026

Senegal will begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Mozambique in Maputo after the match was moved from Dakar due to stadium problems.

The Group J encounter will take place at the National Zimpeto Stadium on September 25. The unusual arrangement means the reigning African champions will play their scheduled home fixture on Mozambican soil.

The Senegalese Football Federation requested the relocation after the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium became unavailable. The venue is being used for preparations linked to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

The alternative Léopold Sédar Senghor Stadium was also ruled unsuitable. The FSF said the condition of its pitch was not currently good enough for a major official match involving the national team.

Senegal had initially planned to return to the Léopold Sédar Senghor Stadium for the fixture. The venue had recently undergone renovation and received CAF approval, with the federation previously announcing that the Lions would face Mozambique there.

The late change has significantly altered Senegal's preparations for the qualifiers. Instead of opening the campaign in front of their supporters, Patrick Vieira's team must travel to Maputo and face Mozambique in what should have been a home fixture.

The decision was approved by CAF and the Mozambique Football Federation after Senegal formally requested the change. The Mozambican federation confirmed that the two sides will meet at the National Zimpeto Stadium on September 25.

The arrangement also affects the early schedule for both teams. Mozambique will host Senegal in the opening round before the Mambas face Sudan in Maputo four days later, on September 29.

The switch means Senegal will have to adapt quickly to unfamiliar conditions. Mozambique, meanwhile, will benefit from playing at home despite the fixture originally being scheduled as a Senegal home match.

Senegal are in Group J alongside Mozambique, Sudan and Ethiopia. The top two teams will be competing for qualification to the 2027 AFCON tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

For the Teranga Lions, the immediate priority is now to avoid dropping points in a fixture where they were originally expected to benefit from home support. The Maputo encounter could therefore prove an important early test of Senegal's ability to handle an unexpected change in their qualifying campaign.

Senegal Forced to Host Mozambique in Maputo for AFCON 2027 Qualifier

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