2024 African Nations Championship qualification


The 2024 African Nations Championship qualification was a men's football competition which decided the participating teams of the 2024 African Nations Championship. Only national team players who were playing in their country's own domestic league were eligible to compete in the tournament.
A total of 19 teams qualified to play in the final tournament, including Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania who qualified automatically as hosts.

Teams

A total of 40 CAF member national teams entered qualification that was split into zones based on their regional affiliations and had its draw held on 9 October 2024 at CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
ZoneSpots Teams entering qualificationRepêchage re-engage teamsDid not enter
Northern Zone
3 spots
  • '
  • '
  • '

-
Western Zone A3 spots
  • '
  • '
  • '
  • '
  • '

  • Western Zone B3 spots
    • '
    • '
    		-
    Central Zone
    		3 spots
    • '
    • '
    • '
    • '
    • '
    • '

  • Central Eastern Zone1 spot + ', ', '
    • '
    • '
    • '
    		-
    Southern Zone
    		3 spots
    • '

    • '
  • ;Notes
    • Teams in bold' qualified for the final tournament.
    • Teams in italics received a bye to the second round in the qualifying draw.
    • ': Withdrew after draw

    Format

    Qualification ties are played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the aggregate score is tied after the second leg, the away goals rule would be applied, and if still level, the penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner.

    Schedule

    The schedule of the qualifying rounds is as follows.

    Northern Zone

    After Egypt and previous hosts Algeria withdrew before the draw, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia were the only teams entered: therefore, the Zone was scrapped and all three teams qualified automatically. On 22 November 2024, Libya withdrew from the tournament due to fixture congestion and concerns that the national team's participation would halt the league, hence the Libyan Football Federation prioritized the league schedule over the CHAN. On 28 November 2024, Tunisia also pulled out of the tournament following the clubs' rejection to the country's participation.

    Western Zone A

    First round

    ''Liberia won 3–2 on aggregate.''

    Second round

    Winners qualify for the 2024 African Nations Championship.
    Senegal won 4–1 on aggregate.
    ----
    Mauritania won 1–0 on aggregate.
    ----
    ''Guinea won 6–2 on aggregate.''

    Western Zone B

    First round

    ''Togo won 3–1 on aggregate.''

    Second round

    Winners qualify for the 2024 African Nations Championship.
    1–1 on aggregate. Niger won on away goals.
    ----
    2–2 on aggregate. Burkina Faso won 4–2 on penalties.
    ----
    ''Nigeria won 3–1 on aggregate.''

    Central Zone

    Winners qualify for the 2024 African Nations Championship.
    Initially, Congo won 2–1 on aggregate. However, following a ruling by the CAF Disciplinary Committee in favor of Equatorial Guinea, Congo was found to have fielded an ineligible player in both matches. As a result, both matches were declared forfeited by Congo, awarding Equatorial Guinea a 6–0 aggregate victory.
    ----
    2–2 on aggregate. Central African Republic won on away goals.
    ----
    ''DR Congo won 4–2 on aggregate.''

    Central Eastern Zone

    First round

    Burundi won on walkover and advanced to the second round after Somalia withdrew prior to the first leg due to financial challenges.
    ----
    Ethiopia won on walkover and advanced to the second round after Eritrea withdrew prior to the first leg.
    ----
    1–1 on aggregate. Sudan won 6–5 on penalties.
    ----
    South Sudan won 3–1 on aggregate.
    ----
    ''Rwanda won 3–1 on aggregate.''

    Second round

    Since the three hosts from this region have automatically qualified themselves, only the best-performing nation can additionally qualify for the 2024 African Nations Championship.
    Uganda won 2–0 on aggregate.
    ----
    Sudan won 4–1 on aggregate.
    ----
    ''4–4 on aggregate. Rwanda won on away goals.''

    Southern Zone

    First round

    Eswatini won 4–0 on aggregate.
    ----
    ''1–1 on aggregate. Lesotho won 4–3 on penalties.''

    Second round

    Winners qualify for the 2024 African Nations Championship.
    Madagascar won 2–1 on aggregate.
    ----
    Angola won 2–1 on aggregate.
    ----
    ''Zambia won on walkover and qualified to the final tournament after Mozambique withdrew prior to the first leg due to post-election violence.''

    [|Second qualifying stage]

    Following the withdrawals of Tunisia and Libya, it was decided to organise a second qualifier tournament between 7 'reengaged' teams: Algeria, Comoros, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, South Africa to determine the final two slots.
    The draw was held on 13 February 2025 at 13:25 EST at the Confederation of African Football Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. The 7 teams were drawn into 3 games, with Runners-up of the previous edition Algeria receiving a bye to the second round.

    First round

    Malawi won 4–0 on aggregate.
    ----
    South Africa won 4–2 on aggregate.
    ----
    ''0–0 on aggregate. Gambia won 5–3 on penalties.''

    Second round

    South Africa won 2–1 on aggregate.
    ----
    ''Algeria won 3–0 on aggregate.''

    Qualified teams

    The following 19 teams qualified for the final tournament.
    TeamQualifying zoneQualified onPrevious appearances in African Nations Championship
    Central Eastern Zone26.09.20240
    Central Eastern Zone2
    Central Eastern Zone6
    Northern Zone9 10 20244
    Western Zone A28.12.20243
    Western Zone A28.12.20243
    Western Zone A29.12.20243
    Western Zone B28.12.20243
    Western Zone B27.12.20244
    Western Zone B28.12.20243
    Central Zone28.12.20240
    Central Zone28.12.20246
    Central Zone21 1 20251
    Central Eastern Zone28.12.20243
    Southern Zone28.12.20244
    Southern Zone29.12.20241
    Southern Zone15.12.20244
    Second qualifying stage winners09 5 20252
    Second qualifying stage winners11 5 20252

    ;Notes
    • Years in bold indicate a championship in the respective tournament.