Host to play in qualifiers

The hosts of the 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), yet to be determined, will for the first time in the history of the competition, take part in the qualifiers even though it will only count as friendlies.

The qualifiers will begin on the FIFA international dates of June 8 to 16, with 52 countries expected to be grouped into 13 of four teams each, with the winners and the best runners-up qualifying.

Ghana, Gabon,   Egypt and  Algeria, who have put in bids to host the 31st edition of AFCON will know their fate  at the next Executive Committee meeting of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on April 8, in Cairo.

The decision  was arrived at  on January 14  at the last CAF Executive Committee meeting where it also announced the format for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

For the World Cup qualifiers, CAF will review its old format, after experimenting with final play-offs in the last qualifiers for the 2014 Mundial.

For the 2015 qualifiers, teams would be engaged in preliminary rounds to prune down  the number to 20. 

The 20 teams would then be drawn into five groups of four teams each, with the eventual winners qualifying for the tournament to be hosted by Russia.