The 2018 African Nations Championship qualification was a men's football competition which decided the participating teams of the 2018 African Nations Championship. Only national team players who were playing in their country's own domestic league were eligible to compete in the tournament.

A total of sixteen teams qualified to play in the final tournament.

Teams A total of 48 (out of 54) CAF member national teams entered the qualifying rounds, split into zones according to their regional affiliations.

ZoneSpotsTeams entering qualificationDid not enterNorth Zone(UNAF)2 spots (hosts)West A Zone(WAFU-UFOA A)2 spotsWest B Zone(WAFU-UFOA B)3 spotsCentral Zone(UNIFFAC)3 spots (disqualified) (disqualified)Central-East Zone(CECAFA)3 spots (original hosts)South Zone(COSAFA)3 spotsTotal16 spots48 teams

Notes Teams in bold qualified for the final tournament. Central African Republic were excluded by the CAF from participating because of their withdrawal against DR Congo in the 2016 African Nations Championship qualification. Chad withdrew on 27 March 2016, but however, on 24 May 2016, Chad announced that they would not be able to qualify for CHAN 2018, and São Tomé and Príncipe officially entered the qualification, along with Equatorial Guinea. Egypt were expected to withdraw from the CHAN 2018, but however, on 4 June 2016, it was announced that Egypt would participate in the CHAN 2018 qualification. On 12 March 2017, the Football Association of Malawi announced their senior national football team would withdraw from the competition due to the lack of funding. However, they later announced its reversal of this decision and would continue to compete. Kenya were the original hosts and would have qualified automatically. However, on 23 September 2017, the CAF decided to withdraw their hosting rights due to a lack of progress with preparations. Morocco were named as the new hosts on 14 October 2017. Since they had already qualified in the North Zone, their spot in the final tournament was re-allocated to Egypt, which lost to Morocco in the North Zone final qualifying round. However, Egypt declined to participate citing a "congested domestic calendar". As a result, the spot was reverted to Central-East Zone (as originally three teams would participate including Kenya as original hosts), and would go to the winner of a play-off between Ethiopia and Rwanda, the two teams which lost in the Central-East Zone final qualifying round.

Schedule The draw was held on 3 February 2017 at Libreville, Gabon.

The schedule of the qualifying rounds was as follows.

Zone / RoundMatchdayDateNorth ZoneCentral ZoneWest A ZoneWest B ZoneCentral-East ZoneSouth Zone——First roundFirst leg20–22 April 2017Second leg28–30 April 2017—First roundSecond roundFirst leg14–16 July 2017Second leg21–23 July 2017First roundSecond roundThird roundFirst leg11–13 August 2017Second leg18–20 August 2017

Format Qualification ties were played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the aggregate score was 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).

North Zone All four teams (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco) entered the first round.

First round Winners qualify for 2018 African Nations Championship.

Morocco won 4–2 on aggregate.

Libya won 3–2 on aggregate.

West A Zone All eight teams (Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone) entered the first round.

First round

Senegal won 4–2 on aggregate.

Guinea won 10–1 on aggregate.

Mauritania won 2–1 on aggregate.

Mali won 4–0 on aggregate.

Second round Winners qualify for 2018 African Nations Championship.

Guinea won 6–3 on aggregate.

Mauritania won 3–2 on aggregate.

West B Zone Two teams (Benin, Togo) entered the first round. Five teams (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria) entered the second round.

First round

2–2 on aggregate. Benin won 8–7 on penalties.

Second round Winners qualify for 2018 African Nations Championship.

Nigeria won 2–1 on aggregate.

2–2 on aggregate. Ivory Coast won on away goals.

Burkina Faso won 4–3 on aggregate.

Central Zone All six teams (Cameroon, Congo, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, São Tomé and Príncipe) entered the first round.

First round Winners qualify for 2018 African Nations Championship.

Equatorial Guinea won on walkover after Gabon withdrew prior to the first leg.

1–1 on aggregate. Congo won on away goals.

Cameroon won 4–0 on aggregate.

Central-East Zone Two teams (Somalia, South Sudan) entered the first round. Seven teams (Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda) entered the second round.

First round

South Sudan won 4–1 on aggregate.

Second round

Uganda won 5–1 on aggregate.

1–1 on aggregate. Rwanda won on away goals.

Ethiopia won on walkover after Djibouti withdrew prior to the second leg.

Sudan won 1–0 on aggregate.

Third round Winners qualify for 2018 African Nations Championship.

Uganda won 3–2 on aggregate.

Sudan won 2–1 on aggregate.

Play-off Winner qualifies for 2018 African Nations Championship (replacing the original hosts Kenya which would have qualified automatically).

Rwanda won 3–2 on aggregate.

South Zone Four teams (Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Seychelles) entered the first round. Ten teams (Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe) entered the second round.

First round

Madagascar won 2–0 on aggregate.

Mauritius won 3–2 on aggregate.

Second round

Madagascar won 4–2 on aggregate.

Angola won 4–2 on aggregate.

Comoros win 2–1 on aggregate.

1–1 on aggregate. Namibia won 5–4 on penalties.

South Africa won 3–0 on aggregate.

Zambia won 7–0 on aggregate.

Third round Winners qualify for 2018 African Nations Championship.

Angola won 1–0 on aggregate.

Namibia won 3–2 on aggregate.

Zambia won 4–2 on aggregate.

Qualified teams The following 16 teams qualified for the final tournament.

Team Qualifying zone Qualified onPrevious appearances in African Nations Championship1 (hosts) North Zone 2 (2014, 2016) 2 (2009, 2014) West A Zone 1 (2016) 1 (2014) West B Zone 2 (2014, 2016) 3 (2009, 2011, 2016) 1 (2014) Central Zone 0 (debut) 1 (2014) 2 (2011, 2016) Central-East Zone 3 (2011, 2014, 2016) 1 (2011) 2 (2011, 2016) South Zone 2 (2011, 2016) 0 (debut) 2 (2009, 2016) 1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.

Goalscorers 8 goals

Sékou Amadou Camara

4 goals

Njiva Rakotoharimalala Getaneh Kebede Paul Mucureezi Justin Shonga

3 goals

Ibrahima Koné Amadou Dia N'Diaye

2 goals

Job Mohamed Sydney Sylla Mohamed Sorel Camara Mohamed N'Diaye Ibrahima Sory Sankhon Muaid Ellafi Muna Katupose Hendrik Somaeb Ryan Moon Gift Motupa Leon Uso Khamis James Moga Seif Teiri Koidjo Sewonou Muzamiru Mutyaba Derrick Nsibambi Clatous Chama Brian Mwila

1 goal

Sofiane Bendebka Oussama Darfalou Geraldo Dani Massunguna Vá Waris Aboki Marcelin Koukpo Mama Seibou Herman Nikiema Ilasse Sawadogo Raphaël Messi Bouli Raymond Fosso Armel Lionel Ngondji Franck Pangop Raidou Boina Bacar Chadhuli Mradabi Ibroihim Youssouf Mohamed Youssouf Jaures Ngombe ? Jean-Marc Makusu Mundele Ahmed El Sheikh Aschalew Girma Mulualem Mesfin Abdurahman Mubarak Abubakher Sanni Sadick Adams Felix Addo Gideon Waja Seydouba Bissiri Camara Mamady Diawara Juca Fabius Dosso Banfa Sylla Raboama Koloti Christopher Jackson Bela Morelin Raveloarisona Aboubacar Diarra Mandala Konté Gouné Niangadou Boubacar Bagili Mohamed Yaly Dellahi Abdoulaye Sileye Gaye Karamogho Moussa Moussa Samba Marco Dorza Jonathan Édouard Emmanuel Vincent Jean Kevin Perticots Francis Rasolofonirina Badr Banoun Badr Boulahroud Jawad El Yamiq Abderrahim Makran Maninho Salomão Idrissa Halidou Garba Imrana Seyni Rabiu Ali Kingsley Eduwo Abeddy Biramahire Muhadjiri Hakizimana Thierry Manzi Yannick Mukunzi Dominique Savio Nshuti Eric Rutanga Sidy Bara Diop Daouda Guèye Diémé Assane Mbodj Alassane Ndao Leeroy Corallie Yannick Manoo Kemson Fofanah Nathaniel Fullah Abas Amin Mohamed Elsamani Saadeldin Mario Booysen Duku Wurube Himid Mao Fackson Kapumbu Martin Phiri Simon Silwimba Prince Dube

Own goals

Chamseddine Rahmani (against Libya) Hamza Semmoumy (against Egypt)

Notes

References

External links Total African Nations Championship Qualifiers 2018, CAFonline.com 2018 CHAN Qualifiers, AfricanFootball.com