The AFCON 2023 Preliminary Round draw will be conducted today, Friday, 21 January 2022 in Douala, Cameroon.
Friday's draw will be the first step towards the 34th edition of AFCON, Cote d’Ivoire 2023.
Former Cameroon Indomitable Lions' captain Rigobert Song and Super Eagles' former great Emmanuel Amunike will be the draw assistants.
The former Indomitable Lions defender and captain Rigobert Song featured in eight TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations finals (1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010) winning the compettition twice in 2000 and 2002 with Cameroon.
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Amunike, the former midfielder of Super Eagles won the AFCON in 1994 and was also part of the 'golden generation' team that claimed the Olympic gold medal in 1996 with Nigeria.
The Preliminary Round will see the 12 least ranked teams. The 12 teams will be divided into two levels. The six highest ranked teams will play against the six least ranked teams (the 1st leg will be played at home of the lower ranked teams).
The six aggregate winners will join the 42 highest ranked teams into the Group Stage of the qualifiers.
Level 1: Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, Gambia, South Sudan, Mauritius
Level 2: Chad, Sao Tome & Principe, Djibouti, Somalia, Seychelles, Eritrea