By Joseph S. Conteh
The Sierra Leone National Team has secured a direct berth in the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 qualifiers, bypassing the preliminary round. This feat was achieved as a result of the Leone Stars finishing above 12 lower-ranked teams in the FIFA rankings.
The 12 countries set to compete in the preliminary round include Djibouti, South Sudan, Chad, Burundi, Somalia, Mauritius, Seychelles, Lesotho, Eritrea, Eswatini, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Ethiopia.
Sierra Leone’s national team, known as the Leone Stars, will not be participating in this round, having secured their place among the 42 countries that qualified directly for the group stage of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers.
