Somalia Name Squad for Historic 2027 AFCON Qualifiers Against Gambia and Ivory Coast

MOGADISHU — Somalia have named their squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with the Ocean Stars set to face The Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire this month as they begin their campaign for a place at PAMOJA 2027, this Friday.

Head coach Yusuf Ali Nur, popularly known as Yuu Ali, announced a 23-man squad that blends experienced players, emerging local talent and Somali professionals based abroad as the team prepares for a demanding Group C campaign [citation:9].

Goalkeeper Saeed Aleeleya, who played a key role in Somalia’s recent penalty shootout success against Mauritius, headlines the goalkeeping department alongside Abdirahman Mamaan and Ibrahim Ahmed Hussein.

The defensive unit includes Abel Gigli, Mohamud Ali, Yonis Farah, Ahmed Abdullahi Abdi, Ali Omar, Abdulle Abdullahi Abdulle and Faisal Othman Abu Bakr.

In midfield, captain Abdulsamed Abdullahi will provide leadership alongside Abdi Sharif, Sakariya Hassan, Omar Jama and Ilyas Akram. The attacking department features Handwalla Bwana, Ali Musse, Yusuf Ali Ahmed, Mukhtar Suleiman, Issa Adam Abatari and Farhan Mohamed Ahmed [citation:9].

A Historic Campaign

Somalia’s participation in the group stage of the AFCON qualifiers represents a significant milestone for the Ocean Stars. They reached this stage after overcoming Mauritius in a dramatic penalty shootout during the preliminary round, marking the first time Somalia has advanced to the group stage of AFCON qualifying.

“Today we wrote the history of the Africa Cup of Nations,” said Somali Football Federation President Ali Abdi Mohamed after the qualification. “I am very proud of the team, the technical staff and the supporters who believed in us”.

Defender Mohamud Ali Mohamed, who plays in the English seventh tier with Atherton Collieries, said he wants to make history by helping his nation reach its first-ever AFCON tournament.

The Group C Challenge

Somalia have been drawn into Group C alongside Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and The Gambia, with the Ocean Stars facing a difficult route to the finals.

The campaign begins on September 25, 2026, when Somalia travel to face The Gambia in their opening fixture, with kick-off scheduled for 16:00 EAT. The match will be played at the Independence Stadium in Banjul, where thousands of Gambian fans are expected to attend.

Four days later, on September 29, Somalia will face Côte d’Ivoire in their second Group C match.

Côte d’Ivoire, the reigning African champions, have named a strong squad featuring Real Madrid youngster Yan Diomandé, Manchester United defender Leny Yoro, and Atalanta midfielder Franck Kessie.

The top two countries from each group earn automatic qualification for the main tournament to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania .

Critical Note

Somalia’s qualification for the group stage of AFCON qualifying is a genuine achievement for a national team that has never reached the tournament finals and has played all its competitive matches abroad due to security concerns at home. The Ocean Stars are ranked 199th in the world and face three opponents with vastly more resources and international experience.

The squad reflects the reality of Somali football: a blend of diaspora professionals playing at modest levels in Europe and local players with limited exposure to high-level competition. The absence of a CAF-approved home venue means Somalia will play all their “home” matches on neutral ground, denying the team the advantage of home support and the symbolic benefit of hosting international football in Mogadishu.

Expectations should be tempered. Group C is one of the most competitive in the qualifiers, featuring the reigning African champions and a Ghana side that has qualified for the 2026 World Cup. For Somalia, the campaign is less about qualification and more about demonstrating progress, building experience, and showing that Somali football can compete at a higher level. The fact that the team has reached this stage at all is a step forward for a federation that has operated in difficult circumstances for decades.