How and Where to Watch: Ivory Coast vs. Gambia LIVE on beIN SPORTS

Ivory Coast and Gambia face off in one of the most important matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers. Both teams have won their opening two Group C fixtures, setting up a decisive battle for first place in Bouaké.

Watch Ivory Coast vs. Gambia LIVE on beIN SPORTS

Ivory Coast vs. Gambia: How and Where to Watch LIVE

Ivory Coast will host Gambia on Thursday, November 12, for Matchday 3 of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers.

The encounter will take place at Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, Ivory Coast, with kickoff scheduled for 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM PT.

Fans can follow the match through beIN SPORTS CONNECT, with English-language streaming coverage beginning at 1:50 PM ET.

Both teams enter the encounter with six points. Ivory Coast leads Group C on goal difference, while Gambia occupies second place.

How Ivory Coast Comes Into the Match

Ivory Coast enters Thursday's encounter looking to maintain its perfect start to the qualification campaign.

The team coached by Hervé Renard began Group C with a 2-0 victory over Ghana on September 24, thanks to goals from Malick Yalcouyé and Franck Kessié.

Five days later, the Elephants secured another 2-0 victory against Somalia, although they had to wait until the closing minutes to break the deadlock.

Yann Gboho opened the scoring in the 89th minute before Bazoumana Touré added a second goal during stoppage time.

For the November double-header, Renard has named a 25-player squad featuring four newcomers.

One of the most notable additions is Oumar Solet, who earned his first senior call-up after choosing to represent Ivory Coast internationally.

The squad also includes experienced players such as Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré, and Nicolas Pépé.

However, the Elephants will be without Guéla Doué, Odilon Kossounou, and Ghislain Konan because of injuries.

How Gambia Comes Into the Match

Gambia travels to Bouaké after an equally impressive start to its qualification campaign.

The Scorpions opened Group C with a 2-1 victory over Somalia on September 25.

Ebrima Colley scored from the penalty spot before Muhammed Badamosi secured the winning goal in the 83rd minute.

Four days later, Gambia produced a remarkable comeback to defeat Ghana 4-2 away from home.

After falling two goals behind, Badamosi and captain Omar Colley brought the visitors level before Ebrima Colley completed the comeback with two second-half goals.

Head coach Johnathan McKinstry has received an important boost ahead of the Ivory Coast double-header.

Musa Barrow and Yankuba Minteh return to the 25-man squad after missing the opening qualifiers through injury.

However, Alieu Fadera and Adama Sidibeh remain unavailable.

Ivory Coast vs. Gambia: A Battle for the Top of Group C

The importance of Thursday's encounter extends beyond the immediate result.

Ivory Coast leads Group C with six points and a goal difference of plus four, while Gambia has the same number of points and a goal difference of plus three.

Meanwhile, Somalia and Ghana remain without points after their opening two matches.

The top two teams will qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The teams will meet again on Tuesday, November 17, at Independence Stadium in Bakau, Gambia.

With both nations enjoying perfect records, the double-header could play a major role in determining the final standings.