The qualification phase for the 2011 African Championship of Nations began in March 2010. These games did not count towards the FIFA rankings.
The inaugural edition of the competition featured eight teams, while this edition featured sixteen.
Qualification Zones
Qualification was divided into the CAF Zoning system. Each Zone had either two or three teams that qualified for the final tournament.
ZoneNumber of participating teamsNumber of qualifying teamsNumber of teams not enteredNorth Zone421 (Egypt)Zone West A524 (Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia)Zone West B631 (Benin)Central Zone533 (Central African, Chad, São Tomé & Príncipe)Central-East Zone10 (including host Sudan)3 (including host Sudan)0Southern Zone1133 (Comoros, Lesotho, Mauritius)Total411612
North Zone
First round
Tunisia and Algeria qualify for the final tournament.
Zone West A
Preliminary round
Mauritania withdrew.
First round
Mali and Senegal qualify for the final tournament.
Zone West B
Ivory Coast, Ghana and Niger qualify for the final tournament.
Central Zone
Preliminary round
Equatorial Guinea withdrew.
First round
Cameroon and DR Congo qualify for the final tournament.
Second round
Congo withdrew. Match was awarded 3–0 to Gabon.
Gabon qualify for the final tournament.
Central-East Zone
Preliminary round
There was only one leg played due to Somalia being unable to host international fixtures.
First round
Ethiopia withdrew. Match was awarded 3–0 to Kenya.
Eritrea withdrew. Match was awarded 3–0 to Rwanda.
There was only one leg played due to Somalia being unable to host international fixtures.
Second round
The Tanzania vs Rwanda match was pushed forward to May 1 due to Rwanda’s hosting of the CECAFA Kagame Cup from 15–29 May.
Uganda and Rwanda qualify for the final tournament, along with host Sudan.
Southern Zone
First round
Zambia receive bye to Second Round.
Second round
Angola, South Africa and Zimbabwe qualify for the final tournament.
Qualified
- Host (Central-East Zone) - North Zone - North Zone - Zone West A - Zone West A - Zone West B - Zone West B - Zone West B - Central Zone - Central Zone - Central Zone - Central-East Zone - Central-East Zone - Southern Zone South Africa - Southern Zone - Southern Zone
References