Nigeria have been drawn against Egypt, Tanzania and Chad in Group G of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier.
Caf Secretary General Hicham El Amrani conducted the draw, which took place in Cairo, Egypt on Wednesday; moments after Gabon had been confirmed as host nation for the final.
All 52 teams, including Morocco, Tunisia and the host nation were plucked from four pots containing 13 teams according to the Caf classification.
Caf say Gabon will take part in the qualifiers without their results affecting their concerned group final standings.
Morocco had been banned from participating in the next two editions of the tournament after they could not host this year’s event but were granted a reprieve after winning their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sports.
Tunisia avoided a ban by beating a 31 March ultimatum for an apology to Caf for accusing the continental governing body of bias.
Only group winners from the 13 qualifying groups, two best-placed runners-up and hosts Gabon will proceed to the 2017 finals. The winner of Afcon 2017 will serve as Africa’s representative at the 2017 Fifa Confederations Cup in Russia.
Seven-time champions, Egypt, last won the tournament in Angola in 2010 but did not qualify for the last 3 tournaments. Nigeria won their third title in 2013 but could not progress to this year’s final as defending champions.
The Super Eagles will open their qualification campaign at home to Chad in the weekend of June 12, 13, 14, followed by a visit to Tanzania in the weekend of September 4, 5, 6.
The Pharaohs will travel down to Nigeria on any of 23, 24, 25, 26 March, 2016.
Full Afcon 2017 Draw
Group A: Tunisia, Togo, Liberia, Djibouti
Group B: DR Congo, Angola, Central Africian Republic, Madagascar
Group C: Mali, Equatorial Guinea, Benin, South Sudan
Group D: Burkina Faso, Uganda, Botswana, Comoros
Group E: Zambia, Congo, Kenya, Guinea Bissau
Group F: Cape Verde, Morocco, Libya, Sao Tome
Group G: Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, Chad
Group H: Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Mauritius
Group I: Cote d’Ivoire, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Gabon
Group J: Algeria, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Seychelles
Group K: Senegal, Niger, Nambia, Burundi
Group L: Guinea, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Swaziland
Group M: Cameroon, South Africa, Gambia, Mauritania
