CAN 2027 qualifiers: Mauritania vs Central African Republic to be played in Morocco (official)

This Tuesday, the Mauritanian Football Federation (FFRIM) announced that the match between Mauritania and the Central African Republic, scheduled for September 24, 2026 as part of the first round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, will take place at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco.

The decision to relocate the match is tied to the inability to get one of the national stadiums approved to host an international fixture within the required timeframe. The Olympic Stadium in Nouakchott is currently undergoing renovations, with a natural grass pitch and new seating being installed, and will not be ready for approval in time.

Read also: CAN 2027 qualifiers: Morocco to kick off against Gabon and Lesotho

The federation emphasized that the gap between the completion of the works and the date of the match will not allow all procedures to be finalized, including inspection by Confederation of African Football (CAF) experts. According to the FFRIM, discussions are ongoing with the party responsible for funding to find a solution. An agreement has also been reached with the company handling the renovations to allow work to continue while the financial matters are being resolved.

In the long term, the Cheikha Boïdiya Stadium could obtain a level 3 approval, allowing it to host national team matches as well as group stage and advanced round fixtures of African interclub competitions.

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

Related teams and leagues

Mauritania

Central African Republic

AFCON - Africa Cup of Nations