2023 AFCON draw: Kenya, Zimbabwe included despite FIFA ban

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has included Kenya and Zimbabwe in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying draw despite being banned by FIFA over government interference.

The draw for the 2023 AFCON has been slated for Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Ahead of the draw, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has disclosed Kenya and Zimbabwe have been included despite being banned by FIFA.

The two countries were banned by the world football governing body due to government interference.

Footballghana.com understands CAF has set a deadline of mid-May for the bans to be lifted or the countries will be barred from taking part.

“We have included the two countries in the hope that the bans will be lifted no later than two weeks before the first matchday in June,” a Confederation of African Football (CAF) spokesman told AFP.

Should Kenya and or Zimbabwe fail to have the suspensions lifted, the groups they are placed in will shrink from four nations to three with the top two finishers still qualifying for the finals.

The first two qualifying matchdays are scheduled between May 30 and June 14, with two more rounds between September 19 and 27 and the final two next year from March 20-28.

Below are the pots:

Pot 1: Senegal (holders), Morocco, Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Cameroon, Algeria, Mali, Ivory Coast (hosts), Burkina Faso, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo

Pot 2: South Africa, Cape Verde, Guinea, Gabon, Benin, Uganda, Zambia, Congo Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Kenya, Sierra Leone

Pot 3: Namibia, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Libya, Mozambique, Malawi, Togo, Zimbabwe, Gambia, Angola, Comoros

Pot 4: Tanzania, Central African Republic, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Liberia, South Sudan, Sao Tome e Principe