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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.
2024 African Nations Championship qualification
Tournament details
Dates
25 October 2024 – 9 May 2025
Teams
59 (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Matches played
52
Goals scored
99 (1.9 per match)
← 2022
All statistics correct as of 17 October 2025.
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 (out of 54) 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.
Teams in italics received a bye to the second round in the qualifying draw.
(W): 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 (no extra time would be played).
Schedule
The schedule of the qualifying rounds is as follows.
Zone / Round
Matchday
Date
Western Zone A Western Zone B Central Eastern Zone
Southern Zone
Central Zone
First round
—
First leg
25–27 October 2024
Second leg
31 October – 3 November 2024
Second round
First round
First leg
20–22 December 2024
Second leg
27–29 December 2024
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.
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.
Since the three hosts from this region have automatically qualified themselves, only the best-performing nation (excluding the hosts) can additionally qualify for the 2024 African Nations Championship.
Cote d'Or National Sports Complex, Saint Pierre (Mauritius)
Madagascar won 2–1 on aggregate.
Lesotho
0–2
Angola
Report
Megue 17'
Kaporal 21'
Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban (South Africa)
Angola
0–1
Lesotho
Report
Kalake 43' (pen.)
Estádio 11 de Novembro, Luanda
Angola won 2–1 on aggregate.
Mozambique
Cancelled
Zambia
Report
Estádio do Zimpeto, Maputo
Zambia
Cancelled
Mozambique
Report
Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola
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 (UTC+2) 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.