Kenya and Zimbabwe will be bundled in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying draw on Tuesday in Johannesburg in spite of being banned by FIFA about govt interference.
“We have incorporated the two international locations in the hope that the bans will be lifted not later on than two months in advance of the 1st matchday in June,” a Confederation of African Soccer (CAF) spokesman explained to AFP.
A Zimbabwe government-funded umbrella sport human body drew the ire of FIFA by sacking nationwide soccer association executives led by Felton Kamambo over difficulties which include failing to account for public money.
Kenyan sports ministry officers disbanded the countrywide soccer federation just after its president, Nick Mwendwa, was charged with numerous counts of fraud.
CAF have set a deadline of mid Might for the bans to be lifted or the nations around the world will be barred from getting component.
Need to Kenya and or Zimbabwe fail to have the suspensions lifted, the groups they are placed in will shrink from four nations to 3 with the top rated two finishers continue to qualifying for the finals.
The first two qualifying matchdays are scheduled amongst May possibly 30 and June 14, with two a lot more rounds between September 19 and 27 and the ultimate two up coming calendar year from March 20-28.
Ivory Coast, who staged the match in 1984 when it includes just 8 teams and was gained for the initial time by Cameroon, will host a 24-workforce celebration up coming June and July.
The Ivorians hope household gain will help entire a treble just after starting to be African champions in 1992 in Senegal and all over again in 2015 in Equatorial Guinea.
Because the Cup of Nations was expanded from 16 teams to 24 three a long time in the past, six stadiums are required and Abidjan (two), Bouake, Korhogo, San Pedro and Yamoussoukro are the Ivorian decisions.
On a check out to the west African region this month, CAF president Patrice Motsepe was current on the stadium creating and refurbishments.
The South African read that superior progress experienced been built besides for the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny, previously the main Ivorian stadium but now 2nd in size in Abidjan to the new countrywide stadium.
Rebuilding guiding agenda
Rebuilding operate is reportedly only about 25 percent full at the stadium named right after the president who ruled the former French colony for 33 several years just after achieving independence in 1960.
Retired African stars Lucas Radebe, the South Africa centre-back who captained Leeds United when they were previous a major-flight club, and Ivory Coastline ahead Salomon Kalou will help with the draw.
Each are Cup of Nations remaining winners — Radebe with Bafana Bafana (The Boys) in 1996 and Kalou with the Elephants in 2015.
A seeded attract will make 12 teams of four groups with the Ivory Coastline getting portion to gain aggressive match observe, as an alternative of relying on usually meaningless friendly matches in the match establish-up.
Ivory Coastline will qualify where ever they finish in the team with the greatest put of the other 3 teams also reserving a area at the finals.
All five African qualifiers for the 2022 Entire world Cup in Qatar — Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Cameroon and Ghana — are between the prime seeds.
The best 42 African groups in the most current FIFA rankings were being computerized entrants though the Gambia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Sao Tome e Principe and South Sudan won preliminary ties and Botswana acquired a walkover.
Gambia, who took Africa by storm this yr when reaching the 2021/2022 quarter-finals, nearly skipped out with an extra-time penalty salvaging a draw against Chad that squeezed them by way of.
Seeding
Pot 1: Senegal (holders), Morocco, Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Cameroon, Algeria, Mali, Ivory Coast (hosts), Burkina Faso, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo
Pot 2: South Africa, Cape Verde, Guinea, Gabon, Benin, Uganda, Zambia, Congo Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Kenya, Sierra Leone
Pot 3: Namibia, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Libya, Mozambique, Malawi, Togo, Zimbabwe, Gambia, Angola, Comoros
Pot 4: Tanzania, Central African Republic, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Liberia, South Sudan, Sao Tome e Principe
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