2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches were organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to decide the participating teams of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the 32nd edition of the international men's football championship of Africa.
As per the decision of the CAF Executive Committee on 20 July 2017, a total of 24 teams qualified to play in the final tournament.
Draw
A total of 51 teams entered the tournament, including Cameroon which would have qualified automatically for the final tournament as the hosts before their hosting rights were stripped. The draw for the qualifications stage took place on 12 January 2017, 19:30 UTC+1, in Libreville, Gabon.
Seeding
For seeding, the teams were ranked using CAF's own system which were calculated based on the team's performance in the three most recent editions the Africa Cup of Nations final tournaments, the three most recent editions the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaigns, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup final tournament and qualifying campaign.
The teams ranked 1–45 (Pots 1–4) directly entered the group stage, while the teams ranked 46–51 (Pot 5) entered the preliminary round.
Notes
Procedure
The nine teams from Pot 4 were drawn in Groups D to L, while the twelve teams from each of the Pots 3, 2 and 1 were drawn in Groups A to L. Then, the six teams from Pot 5 were drawn into three pairings, which would play in the preliminary round. The three winners would advance to Groups A, B and C of the group stage.
Schedule
The schedule of the qualifying tournament was as follows.
Matchday 2 was postponed at the request of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualified teams so that they could play friendly matches in March 2018 to prepare for the World Cup.
Preliminary round
The six teams were drawn into three ties, played in home-and-away two-legged format. The three winners advanced to the group stage to join the 45 teams which entered directly.
Group stage
The 48 teams were drawn into 12 groups of four teams (from Group A to Group L). They consisted of the 45 teams which entered directly, plus the three winners of the preliminary round whose identity was not known at the time of the draw.
The original host Cameroon was drawn into Group B. With the team guaranteed a spot in the finals regardless of its ranking in the group, its matches would have counted in determining the qualification of the other teams.
All group winners plus three best runners-up would have qualified for the finals. From Group B, if Cameroon had finished first or second, the other team placed in the top 2 would have qualified too and no other team would have been eligible to qualify, while if Cameroon had finished third or fourth, the group winner would have qualified and the runner-up would have been eligible to qualify as one of the three best runners-up.
On 20 July 2017, when the first round of the qualifying group stage had already been played, the final tournament was expanded from 16 to 24 teams. Under the new format, the best-placed team other than Cameroon would have qualified from Group B, while the group winners and runners-up would have qualified from all other groups.
On 30 November 2018 Cameroon was stripped of the hosting rights. The team lost its automatic spot for the finals but still could qualify through the qualification process, which it eventually did. On 8 January 2019 Egypt was named as the replacement host. As at that point Egypt had already been assured of a top 2 finish in Group J, the winners and runners-up from all qualification groups would now qualify for the final tournament.
Tiebreakers
The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers were applied in the following order (Regulations Article 14):
Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
Away goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
Goal difference in all group matches;
Goals scored in all group matches;
Away goals scored in all group matches;
Drawing of lots.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Group I
Group J
Group K
Group L
Qualified teams
The following 24 teams qualified for the final tournament.
1 Bold indicates champion for that year. Italic indicates host for that year.
Goalscorers
7 goals
Odion Ighalo
6 goals
Fiston Abdul Razak
5 goals
El Fardou Ben Nabouhane
Knowledge Musona
4 goals
Mateus Galiano
Mohamed Salah
Anis Saltou
Percy Tau
Naim Sliti
3 goals
Baghdad Bounedjah
Gelson
Cédric Amissi
Thievy Bifouma
Cédric Bakambu
Trézéguet
Emilio Nsue
Frédéric Mendy
William Jebor
Ahmad Benali
Carolus Andriamatsinoro
Faneva Imà Andriatsima
Paulin Voavy
Ismaël Diakité
Hakim Ziyech
Jacques Tuyisenge
M'Baye Niang
Farouk Miya
Justin Shonga
Khama Billiat
2 goals
Riyad Mahrez
Steve Mounié
Aristide Bancé
Bertrand Traoré
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting
Ricardo Gomes
Prince Ibara
Marwan Mohsen
Denis Bouanga
Assan Ceesay
Jordan Ayew
Raphael Dwamena
François Kamano
Piqueti
Eric Bailly
Maxwel Cornet
Seydou Doumbia
Jonathan Kodjia
Michael Olunga
Hamdou Elhouni
Mohamed Zubya
Kalifa Coulibaly
Adama Traoré
Youssef En-Nesyri
Stanley Ratifo
Reginaldo
Peter Shalulile
Victorien Adebayor
Ahmed Musa
Idrissa Gueye
Moussa Sow
Lebo Mothiba
James Moga
Simon Msuva
Mbwana Samatta
Firas Chaouat
Taha Yassine Khenissi
Yassine Meriah
Emmanuel Okwi
Augustine Mulenga
1 goal
Mehdi Abeid
Youcef Attal
Ramy Bensebaini
Sofiane Hanni
Djalma
Wilson Eduardo
Sessi D'Almeida
David Djigla
Stéphane Sessègnon
Keeagile Kobe
Issoufou Dayo
Banou Diawara
Jonathan Pitroipa
Abdou Razack Traoré
Saido Berahino
Gaël Duhayindavyi
Vincent Aboubakar
Stéphane Bahoken
Christian Bassogog
Clinton N'Jie
Djaniny
Stopira
Junior Gourrier
Habib Habibou
Salif Kéïta
Geoffrey Kondogbia
Chaker Alhadhur
Nasser Chamed
Benjaloud Youssouf
Merveil Ndockyt
Prince Oniangué
Mohamed Salem Breik
Abdi Idleh Hamza
Yannick Bolasie
Kabongo Kasongo
Chancel Mbemba
Elia Meschak
Ayman Ashraf
Ahmed Elmohamady
Baher El Mohamady
Mohamed Elneny
Ahmed Hegazi
Salah Mohsen
Amr Warda
Pablo Ganet
Pedro Obiang
Sibonginkosi Gamedze
Sifiso Nkambule
Getaneh Kebede
Aaron Appindangoyé
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
André Biyogo Poko
Mamadou Danso
Ablie Jallow
Lamin Jallow
Bubacarr Jobe
John Boye
Asamoah Gyan
Ebenezer Ofori
Jeffrey Schlupp
Ibrahima Cissé
Sadio Diallo
José Kanté
Naby Keïta
Seydouba Soumah
Mohamed Yattara
Carlos Embaló
Edigeison Gomes
Toni Silva
Cheick Doukouré
Max Gradel
Nicolas Pépé
Jean Michaël Seri
Eric Johana Omondi
Victor Wanyama
Nkau Lerotholi
Sera Motebang
Thapelo Tale
Teah Dennis Jr.
Sam Johnson
Rabi Al-Shadi
Muaid Ellafi
Salem Roma
Khaled Majdi
Motasem Sabbou
Njiva Rakotoharimalala
Gerald Phiri Jr.
Patrick Phiri
Yves Bissouma
Salif Coulibaly
Moussa Djenepo
Moussa Doumbia
Mamadou Fofana
Moussa Marega
Adama Ba
Khassa Camara
Moctar Sidi El Hacen
Mohamed Soudani
Kévin Bru
Nordin Amrabat
Khalid Boutaïb
Fayçal Fajr
Nelson Divrassone
Mexer
Zainadine
Deon Hotto
Benson Shilongo
Petrus Shitembi
Amadou Moutari
Youssouf Oumarou
Chidozie Awaziem
Samuel Kalu
Henry Onyekuru
Moses Simon
Meddie Kagere
Ernest Sugira
Harramiz
Zé
Keita Baldé
Pape Abou Cissé
Moussa Konaté
Sidy Sarr
Leroy Coralie
Rody Melanie
Perry Monnaie
Umaru Bangura
Julius Wobay
Thulani Hlatshwayo
Teboho Mokoena
Lebo Mothiba
Dino Ndlovu
Tokelo Rantie
Dominic Aboi
Leon Uso Khamis
Atak Lual
Dominic Abui Pretino
Athir Thomas
Duku Wurube
Abuaagla Abdalla
Seif Teiri
Athar El Tahir
Mohamed Musa Idris
Yasir Muzamil
Aggrey Morris
Erasto Nyoni
Emmanuel Adebayor
Floyd Ayité
Kévin Denkey
Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba
Anice Badri
Syam Ben Youssef
Patrick Kaddu
Geoffrey Sserunkuma
Lazarous Kambole
Donashano Malama
Stoppila Sunzu
Ronald Pfumbidzai
1 own goal
Omar Ngando
Luis Meseguer
Nicholas Opoku
Jordão Diogo
Kalidou Koulibaly
Nigel Hoareau
Buhle Mkhwanazi
Hassan James
Teenage Hadebe
References
External links
32nd Edition Of Total Africa Cup Of Nations, CAFonline.com
2019
Qualification
2017 in African football
2018 in African football
2019 in African football
March 2017 sports events in Africa
June 2017 sports events in Africa
September 2018 sports events in Africa
October 2018 sports events in Africa
November 2018 sports events in Africa
March 2019 sports events in Africa