AFCON qualifiers 2023 fixtures, results, groups, teams, and how it works ahead of Ivory Coast 2024

There are 54 African nations fighting for the 24 berths offered to the next Africa Cup of Nations competition (AFCON) to be held starting in January 2024 in the Ivory Coast. Safeguarding champs Senegal will be dealing with strong competitors from fellow African powers Egypt, Algeria, Cameroon, Morocco, host country Ivory Coast, and others as they aim to end up being the very first back-to-back AFCON champs considering that Egypt won 3 straight in 2006, 2008, and 2010. To reach the AFCON finals in 2024, countries should advance through certifying, which can be callous in choosing which nations accomplish an area in the competition. The Sporting News brings you all the essential information about how AFCON certifying works, when the matches are, and how they play out. Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers format To get approved for AFCON, groups need to advance through a group phase design credentials format. The lowest-ranked groups need to press through an initial phase which narrows the field. The initial phase includes 12 groups paired into 6 matches, which are objected to throughout 2 legs. The losers on aggregate are gotten rid of, while the 6 winners advance to the 44-team group phase. When that 48-team group phase is set, the field is divided into 12 groups of 4, with each group objecting to a complete six-match round robin. The leading 2 finishers in each group advance to AFCON, while the bottom 2 in each group are gotten rid of. This produces the 24 qualifiers who will reach the last competition. Ivory Coast have actually currently received AFCON as hosts, however they still object to the credentials matches. Their group, Group H, will produce just one main qualifier, implying the greatest finisher beyond Ivory Coast (of the 3 individuals Zambia, Comoros, and Lesotho) will make the group’s only area. Africa Cup of Nations 2023 qualifier components, results Preliminary round The higher-ranked groups amongst the initial round individuals were seeded in the draw, and played the 2nd leg in your home. The video games were objected to in late March of 2022. In March of 2022, Eritrea revealed it would withdraw from AFCON 2023 certification. No factor for the choice was revealed. The country has actually not objected to a senior worldwide component considering that a friendly versus Sudan in 2020, while their last competitive component remained in 2019 versus Namibia in 2022 World Cup certifying. There was debate around the match in between Sao Tome & Principe and Mauritius. Sao Tome & Principe won the very first leg 1-0, however goalscorer Luis Leal was implicated of breaching COVID-19 policies, which saw their challengers granted a 3-0 outcome by means of surrender. An appeal saw the choice reversed, and that proven definitive as Sao Tome & Principe would advance on an aggregate rating of 4-3 after a 2nd leg draw. They were the only unseeded group to advance through the initial round. In the table listed below, the outcome of each leg is noted with the house group’s rating. The group to advance is bolded. Unseeded Aggregate Seeded 1st leg 2nd leg Eritrea cancelled Botswana—- Sao Tome & Principe 4-3 Mauritius 1-0 3-3 Djibouti 2-5 South Sudan 2-4 1-0 Seychelles 1-3 Lesotho 0-0 3-1 Somalia 1-5 Eswatini 0-3 2-1 Chad 2-3 Gambia 0-1 2-2 Qualifying Groups The 48 staying countries were broken up into 12 groups of 4 at the make use of April 19, 2022. The nations were divided into 4 pots of 12 groups each, broken down by FIFA rankings, with each group including one group from each pot. Kenya (Pot 2) and Zimbabwe (Pot 3) were under FIFA suspension at the time of the draw, however were consisted of anyways, with the understanding that needs to they still be under suspension by a due date of 2 weeks prior to the very first certifying matches in June of 2022, they would be disqualified. Neither suspended country had the ability to reverse their position by the due date, seeing both nations gotten rid of from the competitors. Their groups (Group C and Group K) will still advance 2 qualifiers to the finals, indicating just one individual in each group will be removed. A variety of these components are being dipped into neutral locations, with Morocco and South Africa functioning as a popular locations, particularly for matches including countries that do not have centers which fulfill the worldwide football requirements. Group A table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Nigeria 6 2-0-0 +11 2. Guinea-Bissau 4 1-1-0 +4 3. Sierra Leone 1 0-1-1 -1 4. Sao Tome & Principe 0 0-0-2 -14 Group A components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 9, 2022 Guinea-Bissau 5-1 Sao Tome & Principe HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 9, 2022 Nigeria 2-1 Sierra Leone HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 13, 2022 Sao Tome & Principe 0-10 Nigeria HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 13, 2022 Sierra Leone 2-2 Guinea-Bissau– Mar. 22, 2023 Sierra Leone vs. Sao Tome & Principe 18:00 Mar. 24, 2023 Nigeria vs. Guinea-Bissau 14:00 Mar. 26, 2023 Sao Tome & Principe vs. Sierra Leone 16:00 Mar. 27, 2023 Guinea-Bissau vs. Nigeria 18:00 TBD (Jun. 2023) Sierra Leone vs. Nigeria TBD (Jun. 2023) Sao Tome & Principe vs. Guinea-Bissau TBD (Sep. 2023) Nigeria vs. Sao Tome & Principe TBD (Sep. 2023) Guinea-Bissau vs. Sierra Leone TBD Group B table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Burkina Faso 6 2-0-0 +4 2. Cape Verde 3 1-0-1 0 3. Eswatini 1 0-1-1 -2 4. Togo 1 0-1-1 -2 Group B components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 3, 2022 Togo 2-2 Eswatini HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 3, 2022 Burkina Faso 2-0 Cape Verde HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 7, 2022 Eswatini 1-3 Burkina Faso HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 7, 2022 Cape Verde 2-0 Togo HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 24, 2023 Cape Verde vs. Eswatini 17:00 Mar. 24, 2023 Burkina Faso vs. Togo 21:00 Mar. 28, 2023 Eswatini vs. Cape Verde 15:00 Mar. 28, 2023 Togo vs. Burkina Faso 21:00 TBD (Jun. 2023) Cape Verde vs. Burkina Faso TBD (Jun. 2023) Eswatini vs. Togo TBD (Sep. 2023) Burkina Faso vs. Eswatini TBD (Sep. 2023) Togo vs. Cape Verde TBD Group C table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Cameroon 3 1-0-0 +1 2. Burundi 1 0-1-1 -1 3. Namibia 1 0-1-0 0 4. Kenya—— Group C components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 4, 2022 Namibia 1-1 Burundi HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 9, 2022 Burundi 0-1 Cameroon HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 23, 2023 Cameroon vs. Namibia 17:00 Mar. 28, 2023 Namibia vs. Cameroon 15:00 TBD (Jun. 2023) Burundi vs. Namibia TBD (Sep. 2023) Cameroon vs. Namibia TBD Group D table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Ethiopia 3 1-0-1 +1 2. Malawi 3 1-0-1 0 3. Guinea 3 1-0-1 0 4. Egypt 3 1-0-1 -1 Group D components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 5, 2022 Malawi 2-1 Ethiopia HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 5, 2022 Egypt 1-0 Guinea HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 9, 2022 Guinea 1-0 Malawi HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 9, 2022 Ethiopia 2-0 Egypt HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 24, 2023 Guinea vs. Ethiopia 15:00 Mar. 24, 2023 Egypt vs. Malawi 20:00 Mar. 27, 2023 Ethiopia vs. Guinea 22:00 Mar. 28, 2023 Malawi vs. Egypt 15:00 TBD (Jun. 2023) Guinea vs. Egypt TBD (Jun. 2023) Ethiopia vs. Malawi TBD (Sep. 2023) Egypt vs. Ethiopia TBD (Sep. 2023) Malawi vs. Guinea TBD Group E table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Ghana 4 1-1-0 +3 2. Angola 4 1-1-0 +1 3. Main African Rep. 1 0-1-1 -1 4. Madagascar 1 0-1-1 -3 Group E components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 1, 2022 Angola 2-1 Central African Rep. HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 1, 2022 Ghana 3-0 Madagascar HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 5, 2022 Central African Rep. 1-1 Ghana HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 5, 2022 Madagascar 1-1 Angola HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 23, 2023 Madagascar vs. Central African Rep. 14:00 Mar. 23, 2023 Ghana vs. Angola 17:00 Mar. 27, 2023 Central African Rep. vs. Madagascar 15:00 Mar. 27, 2023 Angola vs. Ghana 18:00 TBD (Jun. 2023) Madagascar vs. Ghana TBD (Jun. 2023) Central African Rep. vs. Angola TBD (Sep. 2023) Ghana vs. Central African Rep. TBD (Sep. 2023) Angola vs. Madagascar TBD Group F table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Algeria 6 2-0-0 +4 2. Niger 2 0-2-0 0 3. Tanzania 1 0-1-1 -2 4. Uganda 1 0-1-1 -2 Group F components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 4, 2022 Niger 1-1 Tanzania HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 4, 2022 Algeria 2-0 Uganda HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 8, 2022 Uganda 1-1 Niger HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 8, 2022 Tanzania 0-2 Algeria HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 23, 2023 Algeria vs. Niger 22:00 Mar. 24, 2023 Uganda vs. Tanzania 15:00 Mar. 27, 2023 Niger vs. Algeria 17:00 Mar. 28, 2023 Tanzania vs. Uganda 18:00 TBD (Jun. 2023) Tanzania vs. Niger TBD (Jun. 2023) Uganda vs. Algeria TBD (Sep. 2023) Algeria vs. Tanzania TBD (Sep. 2023) Niger vs. Uganda TBD Group G table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Mali 6 2-0-0 +6 2. Congo 3 1-0-1 -3 3. Gambia 3 1-0-1 0 4. South Sudan 0 0-0-2 -3 Group G components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 4, 2022 Gambia 1-0 South Sudan HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 4, 2022 Mali 4-0 Congo HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 8, 2022 Congo 1-0 Gambia HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 9, 2022 South Sudan 1-3 Mali HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 23, 2023 Congo vs. South Sudan 17:00 Mar. 24, 2023 Mali vs. Gambia 20:00 Mar. 27, 2023 South Sudan vs. Congo 15:00 Mar. 28, 2023 Gambia vs. Mali 19:00 TBD (Jun. 2023) Congo vs. Mali TBD (Jun. 2023) South Sudan vs. Gambia TBD (Sep. 2023) Mali vs. South Sudan TBD (Sep. 2023) Gambia vs. Congo TBD Group H table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Ivory Coast 4 1-1-0 +2 2. Zambia 3 1-0-1 -1 3. Comoros 3 1-0-1 +1 4. Lesotho 1 0-1-1 -2 Group components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 3, 2022 Comoros 2-0 Lesotho– Jun. 3, 2022 Ivory Coast 3-1 Zambia HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 7, 2022 Zambia 2-1 Comoros HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 9, 2022 Lesotho 0-0 Ivory Coast HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 23, 2023 Zambia vs. Lesotho 17:00 Mar. 24, 2023 Ivory Coast vs. Comoros 17:00 Mar. 26, 2023 Lesotho vs. Zambia 15:00 Mar. 28, 2023 Comoros vs. Ivory Coast 15:00 TBD (Jun. 2023) Zambia vs. Ivory Coast TBD (Jun. 2023) Lesotho vs. Comoros TBD (Sep. 2023) Ivory Coast vs. Lesotho TBD (Sep. 2023) Comoros vs. Zambia TBD Group I table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Mauritania 4 1-1-0 +3 2. Gabon 4 1-1-0 +1 3. Sudan 3 1-0-1 -2 4. DR Congo 0 0-0-2 -2 Group I components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 4, 2022 Mauritania 3-0 Sudan HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 4, 2022 DR Congo 0-1 Gabon HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 8, 2022 Gabon 0-0 Mauritania HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 8, 2022 Sudan 2-1 DR Congo HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 23, 2023 Gabon vs. Sudan 20:00 Mar. 24, 2023 DR Congo vs. Mauritania 17:00 Mar. 27, 2023 Sudan vs. Gabon 18:00 Mar. 29, 2023 Mauritania vs. DR Congo TBD (Jun. 2023) Gabon vs. DR Congo TBD (Jun. 2023) Sudan vs. Mauritania TBD (Sep. 2023) DR Congo vs. Sudan TBD (Sep. 2023) Mauritania vs. Gabon TBD Group J table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Tunisia 4 1-1-0 +4 2. Libya 3 1-0-1 -1 3. Equatorial Guinea 3 1-0-1 -2 4. Botswana 1 0-1-1 -1 Group J components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 1, 2022 Libya 1-0 Botswana HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 2, 2022 Tunisia 4-0 Equatorial Guinea HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 5, 2022 Botswana 0-0 Tunisia HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 6, 2022 Equatorial Guinea 2-0 Libya HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 24, 2023 Equatorial Guinea vs. Botswana 20:00 Mar. 24, 2023 Tunisia vs. Libya 21:30 Mar. 28, 2023 Botswana vs. Equatorial Guinea 15:00 Mar. 28, 2023 Libya vs. Tunisia 22:00 TBD (Jun. 2023) Equatorial Guinea vs. Tunisia TBD (Jun. 2023) Botswana vs. Libya TBD (Sep. 2023) Tunisia vs. Botswana TBD (Sep. 2023) Libya vs. Equatorial Guinea TBD Group K table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Morocco 6 2-0-0 +3 2. South Africa 0 0-0-1 -1 3. Liberia 0 0-0-1 -2 4. Zimbabwe—— Group K components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 9, 2022 Morocco 2-1 South Africa HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 13, 2022 Liberia 0-2 Morocco HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 24, 2023 South Africa vs. Liberia 17:00 Mar. 28, 2023 Liberia vs. South Africa 18:00 TBD (Jun. 2023) South Africa vs. Morocco TBD (Sep. 2023) Morocco vs. Liberia TBD Group L table, standings Pos Team Pts W-D-L GD 1. Senegal 6 2-0-0 +3 2. Mozambique 4 1-1-0 +1 3. Rwanda 1 0-1-1 -1 4. Benin 0 0-0-2 -3 Group L components, results Date Match Time (UTC +1) Jun. 2, 2022 Mozambique 1-1 Rwanda HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 4, 2022 Senegal 3-1 Benin HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 7, 2022 Rwanda 0-1 Senegal HIGHLIGHTS Jun. 8, 2022 Benin 0-1 Mozambique HIGHLIGHTS Mar. 22, 2023 Benin vs. Rwanda 16:00 Mar. 24, 2023 Senegal vs. Mozambique 20:00 Mar. 27, 2023 Rwanda vs. Benin 15:00 Mar. 28, 2023 Mozambique vs. Senegal 18:00 TBD (Jun. 2023) Benin vs. Senegal TBD (Jun. 2023) Rwanda vs. Mozambique TBD (Sep. 2023) Senegal vs. Rwanda TBD (Sep. 2023) Mozambique vs. Benin TBD