Kenya and Zimbabwe have been included in the 2O23 AFCON qualifiers despite facing suspension for political interference in football administration.
Both countries have been included in the AFCON qualifier fixtures while still on suspension.
Separate circulars issued by FIFA on 24th February 2022, suspended the two countries and their officials from participating in all international games organised by the world football governing body.
Meanwhile, the 34th African cup of nations qualification’s draw held on 19th April 2022 in Johannesburg, South Africa saw the two countries, Kenya and Zimbabwe are drawn in group c and K respectively.
“We have included the two countries with the hope that the bans will be lifted no later than weeks before the first match day in June.’’ spokesperson for CAF told AFP in an interview.
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Officials hinted that in the likely event where the ban is not lifted before the start of the tournament in Ivory Coast, the two nations will lose their rights to participate in the games.
The biennial tournament has 48 national teams drawn into twelve groups.
It is expected that top 2 teams from each group will be regrouped to participate in the tournament except in group A where the host nation, Ivory Coast has automatic qualification.
The draw was conducted based on the current FIFA ranking, which was released on March 31st, 2022, from pot 1 to pot 4 with each pot carrying 12 national teams.
Below is the full draw for the group qualifications fixtures.
Group A: Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome e Principe or Mauritius.
Group B: Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Togo.
Group C: Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, Burundi
Group D: Egypt, Guinea, Malawi, Ethiopia
Group E: Ghana, Madagascar, Angola, Central African Republic
Group F: Algeria, Uganda, Niger, Tanzania
Group G: Mali, Congo Brazzaville, Gambia, South Sudan
Group H: Ivory Coast (hosts), Zambia, Comoros, Lesotho
Group I: Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Mauritania, Sudan
Group J: Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Botswana
Group K: Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Liberia
Group L: Senegal (trophy holders), Benin, Mozambique, Rwanda
