Somalia’s Ocean Stars depart for key AFCON 2027 qualifier

Sunday March 22, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — With their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) dream on the line, Somalia’s national football team, the Ocean Stars, left Mogadishu on Saturday for Mozambique ahead of a decisive preliminary-round meeting with Mauritius.

The fixture represents a pivotal moment in Somalia’s push to move deeper into Africa’s flagship international tournament. Both Somalia and Mauritius head into the contest chasing the kind of result that can keep qualification ambitions intact and set the tone for the rest of the campaign.

Head coach Yusuf Ali Nur confirmed a full traveling squad spanning every area of the pitch as Somalia aims to carry forward momentum in the qualifiers.

Goalkeepers in the squad include Abdirahman Mohamud Jamaac, Ibrahim Ahmed Hussen and Said Aleley Hassan.

Defenders selected are Abel Gigli, Ali Mohamed Omar, Mahmoud Ali, Ahmed Abdullahi Abdi, Abdulle Abdullahi Abdulle, Faysal Abubakar Osman, Abdiweli Abdirahman Mohamed and Mohamed Hassan Mohamed.

Midfielders traveling with the team are Jarma Ibrahim Abdi, Abdirahman Mohamud Sharif, Ilyas Akram Khamis, Omar Hassan Jamaac, Abdisamad Abdullahi and Mukhtar Abdi Suleyman.

Forwards chosen for the fixture include Zakaria Nur Abdullahi, Yusuf Ali Ahmed, Sakariya Hassan, Isse Adan Yusuf, Abdulqadir Adan Enow and Mohamed Abdullahi Awad.

Somalia has long encountered obstacles in competing on the continental stage, including the need to stage home matches outside the country because of security and infrastructure limitations. Even so, the Ocean Stars have shown gradual progress in recent years and are looking to convert those development gains into results on the field.

The showdown with Mauritius is widely expected to be a close, hard-fought affair, with Somalia targeting a positive outcome that would bring the team closer to the next round of the AFCON 2027 qualification campaign.