Liverpool defender Isaac Mabaya has been ruled out of Zimbabwe’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, adding to a growing list of problems for the Warriors as preparations continue for Thursday’s meeting with Sierra Leone in Morocco.
Mabaya’s withdrawal comes as Zimbabwe assemble a squad for the start of their Group E campaign. Nineteen players are already in camp, with Divine Lunga and Tawanda Maswanhise expected to join on Tuesday. The team will face Sierra Leone at the Ben M’Hamed Stadium in El Jadida on 24 September, before returning home to meet the Democratic Republic of Congo at the National Sports Stadium in Harare four days later.
The latest setback follows the withdrawal of forwards Tino Kadewere and Prince Dube, who picked up injuries over the weekend. Washington Navaya and Leeroy Mavunga have been called into the squad as replacements, giving coach Ramón Catalá more options before the Warriors’ first competitive matches of the new qualification cycle.
The injuries have forced changes at a difficult point in the preparations. Catalá is working with a squad that includes several experienced players, but the coach must now settle on a starting line-up without Mabaya and two forwards who were expected to contribute in attack.
Captain Marshall Munetsi is among the players who have reported for duty. He has been joined by Elvis Chipezeze, Daniel Msendami, Andy Rinomhota and Prosper Padera as Zimbabwe look to make a strong start in a group that also contains Equatorial Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Munashe Garananga, Sean Fusire, Bill Antonio, Shane Maroodza, Marvelous Nakamba, Thando Ngwenya, Tawanda Chirewa, Corbin Mthunzi and Martin Mapisa are also in camp. Nelson Chadya, Peter Muduhwa, Kevin Moyo, Emmanuel Jalai and Abubakar Moffat complete the 19 players currently available to the coaching staff.
The Warriors’ preparations have been taking place alongside a tight international schedule. The team has had to bring players together from different clubs and countries while responding to injuries close to the opening match. With Lunga and Maswanhise still due to arrive, Catalá’s group is expected to take its final shape shortly before the match.
Sierra Leone have also travelled early for the fixture. The Leone Stars arrived in Casablanca on Sunday, 20 September, before moving on to El Jadida, where they will establish their training camp. The team has begun its preparations in Morocco ahead of a match that officially opens its qualifying campaign.
The fixture is being played in Morocco because Sierra Leone are using the country as their home venue. That arrangement means neither side will have the usual advantage of playing in its own country, although Sierra Leone will be listed as the home team on the schedule. The match is set for a 19:00 GMT kick-off.
The opening Group E programme will also see the Democratic Republic of Congo face Equatorial Guinea on Thursday. Zimbabwe’s second match will be against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Harare on 28 September, while Sierra Leone will play Equatorial Guinea on the same matchday.
The 2027 qualification tournament involves 48 African nations divided into 12 groups of four. The qualifiers are being played over six matchdays on a home-and-away basis. The first two matchdays run from 24 September to 6 October, followed by another international window from 9 to 17 November. The final two rounds are scheduled for 22 to 30 March 2027.
The top two teams in groups without a co-host will qualify for the finals. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are hosting the 2027 tournament and have automatic places. In their groups, the highest-ranked team apart from the host will qualify alongside the host nation.
The finals are scheduled to take place in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027. The tournament will return to East Africa for the first time in more than five decades, increasing the importance of the qualifying campaign for teams seeking one of the available places.
Thursday’s programme includes several prominent matches across the continent. Côte d’Ivoire will meet Ghana in Bouaké in a clash between former African champions. Morocco will face Gabon in Rabat, Egypt will play Angola in Cairo and Algeria will host Zambia in Tizi-Ouzou.
Cameroon will open its Group G campaign against Comoros, while Namibia will play Congo in the other match in that group. In Group H, Tunisia will host Uganda and Libya will face Botswana. Mauritania will play the Central African Republic, while the opening round will also feature the Group E meeting between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Equatorial Guinea.
The wider campaign brings several teams into a new phase. Côte d’Ivoire begin under returning coach Hervé Renard, who has selected eight newcomers. Morocco start under Mohamed Ouahbi, whose first senior squad includes uncapped youngsters Abdellah Ouazane, Soufian El Faouzi and Yassir Zabiri. Gabon have also appointed Sébastien Migné as coach following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s retirement from international football.
For Zimbabwe, however, the immediate concern is narrower. Catalá must prepare a side capable of dealing with Sierra Leone while managing a defence and attack affected by late withdrawals. The Warriors have senior figures in camp, including Munetsi and Nakamba, along with a group of younger players who could be asked to take on greater responsibility.
A positive result in El Jadida would give Zimbabwe an early advantage before the home match against the Democratic Republic of Congo. The short gap between the two fixtures leaves little time for recovery or major changes, making the opening night particularly important.
The Warriors will therefore enter the match with their squad still being completed, their coach adjusting to injuries and their opponents already settled in Morocco. The first points of Group E will be contested in unfamiliar surroundings, with both teams beginning the long road towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.