2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification


The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches determined the participating teams for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
A total of 16 teams competed in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
Prior to November 2014, it was expected that Morocco would be the host country. However, as Morocco missed the 9 November deadline for confirming their willingness to host, Morocco was expelled from the tournament. Equatorial Guinea was chosen as the new host, and despite having played in the qualifiers and been disqualified due to fielding an ineligible player, they now qualify for the tournament automatically.

Qualified teams

TeamMethod of
qualification		Date of
qualification		Finals
appearance		Last
appearance		Previous best
performance		FIFA ranking
at start of event
00Hosts2012Quarter-finals
2013Quarter-finals
2013Winners
2013Winners
2013Winners
2013Winners
2010Winners
2012Quarter-finals
2013Runners-up
2012Runners-up
2013Winners
2013Winners
2012Runners-up
2013Runners-up
2000Winners
2013Winners

Format

The qualifying draw was supposed to take place in Morocco on 10 March 2013 during CAF General Assembly. However, the CAF Executive Committee decided on 8 March 2013 that the qualifying draw would be held on 31 January 2014 in South Africa in line with the 2014 African Nations Championship. However, on 28 January 2014, the draw date was reported to have changed once again. The qualifying draw was held on 27 April 2014 in Cairo, Egypt.
A total of 51 teams entered the qualification matches. After the CAF Executive Committee meeting on 24 January 2014, it was decided that the qualifiers shall be played in the format of several qualifying rounds, as well as a group stage with seven groups consisting of four teams each. The two top teams of each group then directly qualify for the finals, along with the best third place team of the seven groups. This was different from the original proposal, which consisted of a preliminary round followed by a group stage with twelve groups of four teams.
The top 21 teams listed in the CAF Ranking shall automatically qualify for the group stage. The seven other teams playing in the group stage shall be determined following the conclusion of the qualifying rounds. The ranking is computed using the teams' results in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finals and qualifiers, the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals and qualifiers, the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations finals, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. If tied on points, the tiebreaker is decided by the results of the latest editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Below are the ranking of the 51 teams that entered the qualification matches:

Schedule

The schedule of the competition was as follows.
RoundMatchdayDate
Qualifying roundsPreliminary round 1st leg11–13 April 2014
Qualifying roundsPreliminary round 2nd leg18–20 April 2014
Qualifying roundsFirst round 1st leg16–18 May 2014
Qualifying roundsFirst round 2nd leg30 May–1 June 2014
Qualifying roundsSecond round 1st leg18–20 July 2014
Qualifying roundsSecond round 2nd leg1–3 August 2014
Group stageMatchday 15–6 September 2014
Group stageMatchday 210 September 2014
Group stageMatchday 310–11 October 2014
Group stageMatchday 415 October 2014
Group stageMatchday 514–15 November 2014
Group stageMatchday 619 November 2014

Qualifying rounds

In each of the qualifying rounds, teams were drawn into knock-out ties. Qualification ties were played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the sides were level on aggregate after the second leg, the away goals rule was applied, and if still level, the tie proceeded directly to a penalty shoot-out.

Preliminary round

The draw for the preliminary round was held at the CAF Executive Committee on 21 February 2014 at Cairo, Egypt. The four teams ranked 48–51 played in this round.

First round

The draw for the first round was held on 27 April 2014 at Cairo, Egypt. The 26 teams ranked 22–47 and the two winners of the preliminary round played in this round. Teams ranked 22–35 were seeded, and teams ranked 36–47 and the two winners of the preliminary round were unseeded.

Second round

The draw for the second round was held on 27 April 2014 at Cairo, Egypt. The 14 winners of the first round played in this round.

Group stage

The draw for the group stage was held on 27 April 2014 at Cairo, Egypt. The 21 teams ranked 1–21 and the seven winners of the second round play in this round. Teams ranked 1–7 were seeded into Pot 1, teams ranked 8–14 were seeded into Pot 2, teams ranked 15–21 were seeded into Pot 3, and the seven winners of the second round were seeded into Pot 4. The 28 teams were drawn into seven groups of four, with each group containing one team from each pot. Each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up of each group, plus the [|best third-placed team], qualified for the finals.
;Tiebreakers
The teams are ranked according to points. If tied on points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of points obtained in games between the teams concerned;
  2. Goal difference in games between the teams concerned;
  3. Goals scored in games between the teams concerned;
  4. Away goals scored in games between the teams concerned;
  5. If, after applying criteria 1 to 4 to several teams, two teams still have an equal ranking, criteria 1 to 4 are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the two teams in question to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria 6 to 9 apply;
  6. Goal difference in all games;
  7. Goals scored in all games;
  8. Away goals scored in all games;
  9. Drawing of lots.
Legend
Group winners, runners-up, and the best third-placed team qualify for the finals

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Group E

Group F

Group G

Ranking of third-placed teams

Goalscorers

;6 goals
;5 goals
;4 goals
;3 goals
;2 goals
;1 goal
;Own goal