2005-09-18 - 2006 African Nations Cup
Unlike the qualification for the 2006 World
Cup where the qualifiers are not yet know with one set of matches still
to go, the situation is much clearer when it comes to the qualification for the 2006 African Nations Cup finals.
The qualifiers from groups 1, 3, 4 and 5 are already known, and we are
just waiting for the final matches in group 2 to tell us which one of
three nations from Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo and South
Africa will not qualify for the finals (Ghana having already
qualified). The following nations have qualified so far:
- Group 1: Senegal, Togo, Zambia
- Group 2: Ghana
- Group 3: Cameroon, Cτte d'Ivoire, Egypt (as hosts), Libya
- Group 4: Angola, Nigeria, Zimbabwe
- Group 5: Guinea, Morocco, Tunisia
Of those teams that qualified for the 2004 finals,
Algeria, Benin, Kenya, Mali and Rwanda will miss next year's finals.
Burkina Faso are also on the brink of missing out unless results go
their way on the final day of qualifying.
Of teams returning to the finals, Togo's qualification has been most
impressive. Although they've appeared in the finals on five previous
occasions, including three of the last four tournaments, to qualify
from a group that contains Senegal (2002 World Cup quarter finalists), Zambia and Mali is no mean feat. Zambia themselves reappear after missing out on Tunisia 2004
that broke a run of seven successive finals appearances from 1990.
Libya qualified for the finals for the finals for the very first time,
although they appeared at the finals which they hosted in 1982. Cτte d'Ivoire also return to the finals having appeared in eight successive finals from 1984. If they do miss out on qualification for the 2006 World Cup, they'll want to repeat their performance of 1992
where they beat Ghana on penalties to win the trophy. Out of all the
finalists, no nation has qualified for the finals fewer times than
Angola, having only appeared in two previous finals (1996 and 1998).
Much like Togo though, their qualification campaign has been quite
impressive. They're on the brink of topping the group ahead of Nigeria,
Zimbabwe and former champions Algeria.
The draw for the finals
will take place in Cairo in just over a month's time on Thursday the
20th of October. The finals themselves will take place from 20 January
to 10 February next year.
Does anyone know how the seeding for the finals is traditionally handled?
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