Sierra Leone-Sydney will begin their 2026 Sydney African Cup of Nations campaign with a challenging Round 1 encounter against Ivory Coast on Saturday, October 10, at the Western Sydney Wanderers venue in Rooty Hill.

The two West African sides will kick off at 5:00pm, with Sierra Leone-Sydney looking to make a strong statement in their opening fixture.

Ivory Coast are expected to provide a tough test, but Sierra Leone-Sydney will be hoping their squad can combine discipline, determination and attacking quality to secure a positive result.

The match is part of an exciting Round 1 programme featuring several high-profile African clashes, including DR Congo vs Zimbabwe, Senegal vs Cape Verde, Somalia vs Tanzania, Togo vs Nigeria, Sudan vs Madagascar, Liberia vs Botswana, and Mauritius vs Egypt.

For Sierra Leone-Sydney, however, the focus will be firmly on getting their campaign off to a winning start.