International FootballLatest Soccer News

Bafana await to know group opponents for 2023 Afcon

It’s a matter of hours before Bafana Bafana know their group opponents for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. The draw will be held at SuperSport Studios on Tuesday at 19h30 in Johannesburg. Caf Director of Competitions Samson Adamu will be assisted by former Bafana Bafana skipper Lucas Radebe and former Ivorian frontman Salomon Kalou to conduct the draw.

The 48 nations that qualified to participate in the second round of the qualifiers have been seeded into four pots based on the official Fifa ranking released on 31 March.

The teams will be drawn into 12 groups of four (Group A to L), with the top two teams cruising their way to the 2023 Afcon tournament.

The qualifiers are scheduled to commence in June 2022.

“Kenya and Zimbabwe, who have been suspended by FIFA from all football activities globally, will also be included in the draw despite their temporary bans,” read the African football governing body’s press release.

“However, if the suspension is not lifted two weeks before their first matchday of the qualifiers, both associations will be considered as losers and eliminated from the competition.

“Consequently, their groups will be composed of three teams with the first and runner-up teams of those groups qualifying to the final tournament.

“As a result of that decision, Kenya and Zimbabwe cannot be drawn in the same group in order to avoid having one group with only two teams in case the suspension on both associations is not lifted.”

THE DRAW PROCEDURES

The first ball will be drawn from Pot 4 and will go to position A4.

The procedure will be repeated for the remaining teams of Pot 4, who will go to positions B4, C4, D4, E4, F4, G4, H4, I4, J4, K4 and L4 according to the draw order.

The same procedure as above will be repeated for Pot 3, Pot 2 and finally Pot 1.

Back to top button