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The Confederation of African Football has announced the competition in Ivory Coast will begin with the opening match at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan on 13 January 2024 while the final will be played on 11 February.
Fourty six African nations will reconvene once again as they resume their qualification journey for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Up to 24 slots are open for the finalists of Africa’s premier football competition, with eight nations already confirming their progress to the tournament that will be held in Ivory Coast next year.
Ivory Coast despite being included in the qualifying groups already have an automatic slot at the tournament, but African champions Senegal have booked their place at the AFCON heading into round five of qualifying.
Algeria, Burkina Faso, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia are the other sides who have already done enough to join the Teranga Lions and the hosting Elephants at the tournament.
By the end of the penultimate round of qualifying, up to half of the slots will be filled up. But several countries have also already been eliminated.
Botswana, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar and Sao Tome and Principe are the nations now playing only for pride.
The top two teams from each group progress to the final. Pulse Sports Uganda takes a look at how things stand.
Group A
Standings: Nigeria (9 points), Guinea-Bissau (7), Sierra Leone (5), Sao Tome & Principe (1)
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are on the verge of sealing their place in the finals, and will need at least a point from their remaining fixtures to qualify.
The three-time champions ought to have qualified by matchday four, but a 1-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau threw the spanner, but victory away to Sierra Leone on Sunday will be enough to guarantee qualification.
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Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone will definitely battle it out for the other berth while Sao Tome and Principe are eliminated.
Guinea Bissau will book a fourth successive trip to the Cup of Nations finals with a win in the Lusophone derby which is, fortuitously for them, being played in Bissau after Sao Tome conceded home advantage.
They, like Sierra Leone, are banned from using their own stadium because it is not up to international standards.
Fixtures: Sao Tome e Principe v Guinea Bissau in Bissau, Wednesday
Sierra Leone v Nigeria in Monrovia, Liberia, Sunday
Group B
Standings: Burkina Faso (10, qualified), Cape Verde Islands (7), Eswatini (2), Togo (2)
Burkina Faso, runners up in 2013, and semi-finalists at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon, have already qualified for the tournament in Ivory Coast following a 1-1 draw away to Togo in March.
Cape Verde look certain to join the Stallions in qualifying, as they hold a five point advantage over both Togo and Eswatini.
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The Blue Sharks will qualify for the finals if they defeat the Burkinabe in Praia on Sunday. They will also qualify regardless of the result against Burkina Faso if Eswatini and Togo play to a draw at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, South Africa.
For the Swazis and Togo their clash is more about pride and avoiding the wooden spoon as both countries go in search of their first win in this preliminary competition.
Fixtures: Cape Verde Islands v Burkina Faso in Praia, Sunday;
Eswatini v Togo in Nelspruit, South Africa, Sunday
Group C
Standings: Namibia (5), Cameroon (4), Burundi (1)
Namibia pulled off a shocker when they beat five-time winners Cameroon 2-1 in March, for the Brave Warriors to be on the verge of achieving just their fourth ever AFCON qualification.
Namibia can secure their slot in Ivory Coast if they get a point away against Burundi, in the game that will be played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
For them to be overhauled, Burundi would need to beat them and then get a draw from their final game in Cameroon in September.
Cameroon needs only a point from their game against Burundi, but they will have to wait until September to conclude their qualification journey. They can also qualify without kicking a ball should Namibia defeat Burundi.
Fixture: Burundi v Namibia in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, Tuesday
Group D
Standings: Egypt (9), Guinea (9), Malawi (3), Ethiopia (3)
Record seven-time winners, Egypt, top Group D ahead of Guinea on goal difference, with both nations well placed to advance ahead of Malawi and Ethiopia.
The two countries clash on the penultimate matchday in Marrakech on Wednesday, needing only a draw to both qualify.
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The highlight of the game will be Liverpool’s Muhamed Salah facing his former teammate Naby Keita, with Egypt also having seven players from Al Ahly return to the scene of their latest CAF Champions League triumph.
Ethiopia and Malawi’s hopes are threadbare, and they could both be eliminated by the time they meet in neutral Maputo on Tuesday.
Fixtures: Guinea v Egypt in Marrakech, Morocco, Wednesday;
Ethiopia v Malawi in Maputo, Mozambique, Tuesday
Group E
Standings: Ghana (8), Central Africa Republic (7), Angola (5), Madagascar (1)
Group E is finely poised going into the final two qualifying matches. All four teams with a chance to qualify, with Ghana, CAR and Angola in the thick of the battle, while Madagascar’s chances are thin.
CAR is on the verge of becoming the 45th different nation to play at the AFCON, and can make that dream possible with victory over Angola on Saturday.
Angola has to win to avoid elimination, making the meeting in Douala, Cameroon a cup final.
Ghana will seal their place with a win in Madagascar, who have been poor in this campaign and are yet to post a victory but have a new coach in Frenchman Fabiano Flora.
Fixtures: Central Africa Republic v Angola in Douala, Cameroon, Saturday;
Madagascar v Ghana in Antananarivo, Sunday
Group F
Standings: Algeria (12, qualified), Tanzania (4), Uganda (4), Niger (2)
Algeria have already qualified for the AFCON finals with a 100% record, but the race for the second spot is intense with little to choose between the three other teams.
Uganda, Tanzania and Niger need to make the best of their final two games, with the bigger battle between East African rivals Tanzania and Uganda.
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The Cranes are chasing a return to the AFCON after missing out on the 2021 tournament.
But they will need to get the better of 2019 AFCON winners, Algeria at their adopted ground in Cameroon to keep their chances alive.
Tanzania could take Niger out the equation with a win and with home advantage in Dar-es-Salaam.
Fixtures: Tanzania v Niger in Dar-es-Salaam, Sunday;
Uganda v Algeria in Douala, Cameroon, Sunday
Group G
Standings: Mali (9), Congo (6), Gambia (6), South Sudan (3)
All four teams still have a chance for qualification in this group, with South Sudan looking to build on March’s shock away win over Congo as they host Gambia in neutral Egypt.
Mali only needed a draw from their fourth game to ensure qualification but a defiant Gambia, who provided the fairytale story at the most recent Cup of Nations in Cameroon, fought their way back into contention by winning 1-0.
Congo, despite losing their last home game, can join Mali at the top if they win what should be a tight contest in Brazzaville on Sunday.
If Mali are victorious against Brazzaville, then they will be sure of a place in the finals. South Sudan's hopes of a first ever Afcon qualification appear to be fading.
Fixtures: South Sudan v Gambia in Ismailia, Egypt. Wednesday;
Congo v Mali in Brazzaville, Sunday
Group H
Standings: Ivory Coast (10, qualified), Zambia (9), Comoros (3), Lesotho (1)
Ivory Coast has an automatic spot at the finals as hosts, meaning that only one slot is available for the three other teams in the group.
Ivory Coast's double victory over Comoros has helped put Zambia on the brink of qualification, with the Chipolopolo now one point away from joining them in the final field.
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For the Comoroos to overhaul Zambia, they need to win both their remaining games, starting with already eliminated Lesotho this weekend.
The Basotho host the game at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Fixtures: Lesotho v Comoros Islands in Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday;
Zambia v Ivory Coast in Ndola, Saturday
Group I
Standings: Gabon (7), Sudan (6), Mauritania (5), Democratic Republic of Congo (4)
Group I is perhaps the most open of all, with four nations still in with a great chance of qualifying, and could be settled in September.
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang’s return to the Gabon fold could be the needed spark for their qualification drive should they get a victory over DR Congo on Sunday.
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Sebastien Desabre’s side on the other hand must get at least a draw in Gabon to keep up their hopes but ideally should win.
Sudan could take a giant step towards qualification with victory over Mauritania in neutral Morocco. The final round of games see Gabon go to Mauritania and DR Congo host Sudan.
Wins for Gabon and Sudan in this round would settle the group.
Fixtures: Gabon v Democratic Republic of Congo in Franceville, Sunday;
Sudan v Mauritania in Agadir, Morocco, Tuesday
Group J
Standings: Tunisia (10, qualified), Equatorial Guinea (9), Libya (3), Botswana (1)
Tunisia remains unbeaten and secured qualification thanks to a 1-0 win over Libya in Benghazi, leaving the Mediterranean Knights on the cusp of elimination.
Equatorial Guinea will join the Carthage Eagles with a point from either of their two remaining matches.
They host the Tunisians on Saturday and must then go to Libya, so it is not cut-and-dried.
to keep their hopes alive, the Libyans must win at already-eliminated Botswana this weekend. The Zebras have had a disappointing campaign to date, with a single point from four games.
Fixtures: Botswana v Libya in Francistown, Saturday;
Equatorial Guinea v Tunisia in Malabo, Saturday
Group K
Standings: Morocco (6, qualified), South Africa (4, qualified), Liberia 1
This group is already decided after Bafana Bafana’s 2-1 win in Liberia three months ago and Saturday’s clash at Soccer city is about bragging rights and the smaller matter of top place in the standings.
A draw would ensure Morocco of top spot while victory for Bafana would put them one point ahead but the Atlas Lions still have a game against Liberia to play in September.
The group was cut to three teams following Zimbabwe’s FIFA ban.
Fixture: South Africa v Morocco in Johannesburg, Saturday
Group L
Standings: Senegal (12, qualified), Benin (4), Mozambique (4), Rwanda (2)
Top spot has been decided in Group L, but the remaining three teams are still very much in the hunt for the second qualification spot.
African champions Senegal qualified with a 100%, brushing aside all opposition, and sealing qualification with a 1-0 defeat over Mozambique in Maputo and book their place in Ivory Coast.
Benin was handed the points from their draw in Rwanda in March after their hosts fielded a suspended player.
That has boosted their chances although if Mozambique get a win this weekend they will still be best placed.
Benin host Senegal in Cotonou, needing three points by all means to assure themselves of qualification. A win will take them to five points.
Rwanda host Mozambique in Huye and a win will sail them to six points and topple the latter to second place, putting them at a good position of qualification.
Fixtures: Benin v Senegal in Cotonou, Saturday;
Rwanda v Mozambique in Butare, Sunday
The Confederation of African Football has announced the competition in Ivory Coast will begin with the opening match at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan on 13 January 2024 while the final will be played on 11 February.
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