CAF Fixes Dates For World Cup 2022, AFCON 2023 Preliminary Draw

Confederation of Africa Football, CAF has announced that the draw for the Qatar 2022 World cup and the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON will hold on Friday, January 20, 2022.

The 34th edition of the continent’s biennial football tournament will hold in West African country, Cote D’Ivoire.

“The TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Preliminary Round draw will be conducted on Friday, 21 January 2022 at 16h00 (15h00 GMT, 17h00 CAT) in Douala,” CAF announced on Monday.

CAF also confirm that the FIFA Worldcup Qatar 2022 African playoffs draw will take place a day after, on Saturday, January 22nd 2022.

“The FIFA Worldcup Qatar 2022, African Qualifiers Third Round draw will be conducted on Saturday, Jan 22, 2022, at 16h00 at the same venue, in Douala. (15h00GMT, 17h00 CAT).

READ ALSO: Insecurity: Chief Of Defence Staff Announces New Military Approach

Meanwhile, The preliminary round of the African cup of Nations Qualifiers will see the 12 least ranked teams divided into two levels.

The six highest-ranked teams will play against the six least ranked teams in the first preliminary round.

The 1st leg will be played at the home of the lower-ranked teams
The six aggregate winners will join the 42 highest ranked teams into the Group Stage of the qualifiers.

According to FIFA ranking released in December, the first preliminary round will see Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, Gambia, South Sudan, Mauritius in pot 1.

Pot two has Chad, Sao Tome & Principe, Djibouti, Somalia, Seychelles, Eritrea.
Teams in pot 1 will be paired to okay against teams in pot 2.

The Pre Qualification round of matches on a home and away basis will be played between 21 and 29th of March 2022.

The 2023 AFCON is slated to hold between June and July next year.