Nigeria to face Sierra Leone, others in AFCON 2023 Qualifiers
Nigeria will face Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau and Sao Tome and Principe in Group A of the qualifiers for a ticket to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations billed for Cote d’Ivoire.
The draw held on Tuesday in South Africa was steered by the Confederation of African Football director of competitions Samson Adamu while South African football great Lucas Radebe and former Cote d’Ivoire international Salomon Kalou participated.
There will be 32 nations looking to qualify for the African football playoffs with plenty of ambitious teams that believe they can emulate the efforts from 2021 reigning champions Senegal.
The Lions of Teranga, who are hoping to defend their crown, will have their hands full when they take on Benin Republic, Mozambique and Rwanda in Group L.
Ghana must negotiate their way past Madagascar, Angola and the Central African Republic in Group E if they hope to make it to the tournament for the 24th time.
Having missed the last edition, 1996 African kings South Africa would be aiming to return to Afcon. Nevertheless, they must scale a huge hurdle in Morocco, Zimbabwe and Libya in Group K.
Elsewhere, Kenya have been zoned alongside Cameroon, Namibia, and Burundi in Group C.
Hosts Cote d’Ivoire will tackle Zambia, Comoros and Lesotho even though they have already secured their place in the tournament which means only one other team from their group will qualify for the competition.
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Notwithstanding if the suspension placed on Kenya and Zimbabwe is not lifted two weeks before their first matchday of the qualifiers, both associations will be considered losers and eliminated from the competition.
The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers start in June 2022.
Groups for Afcon 2023 Qualifiers;
Group A Group B
Nigeria Burkina Faso
Sierra Leone Cape Verde
Guinea Bissau Togo
Togo Sao Tome & Principe Eswatini
Group C Group D
Cameroon Egypt
Kenya Guinea
Namibia Malawi
Burundi Ethiopia
Group E Group F
Ghana Algeria
Madagascar Uganda
Angola Niger Republic
Central African Republic Tanzania
Group G Group H
Mali Cote d’Ivoire
Congo Zambia
Angola Comoros
Central African Republic Lesotho
Group I Group J
DR Congo Tunisia
Gabon Equatorial Guinea
Mauritania Libya
Sudan Botswana
Group K Group L
Morocco Senegal
South Africa Benin Republic
Zimbabwe Mozambique
Libya Rwanda
NP/Mercy Chukwudiebere
