Qatar 2022: Nigeria draw Cape Verde, Liberia and CAR

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will be confident of advancing to the next round of qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 World Cup after being drawn in Group C along with Cape Verde Islands, Central African Republic and Liberia.

Also, reigning African champions Algeria will begin their bid for a place at the Mundial against tiny Djibouti in October after the draw was made for the qualifying group stage in Cairo on Tuesday.

Only the top team in each of the 10 pools advance to the final knockout stages, where they will play home and away for a place in Qatar.

The Fennec Foxes of Algeria will be confident of advancing from Group A that also contains Burkina Faso and Niger.

Afcon 2019 finalists Senegal also have a favourable draw in Group H along with Congo-Brazzaville, Namibia and Togo.

Interestingly, one of Cameroon and Ivory Coast will be eliminated at this stage after they were drawn together in Group D along with Mozambique and Malawi.

Ghana and South Africa headline Group G, having also been paired together in the qualifiers for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, so will be regular combatants over the next 18 months.
They also face Zimbabwe and Ethiopia, who are both tricky opponents.

North African powerhouse Tunisia are in Group B with Zambia, Mauritania and Equatorial Guinea, while Egypt have been handed a difficult road in a pool with Gabon, Libya and Angola.

The qualifiers will get under way in October, with the pool stage completed 12 months later.

The 10 group winners will then face-off in November 2021, with the five victors of those knockout matches sealing a place at the World Cup.

The complete groups

Group A: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, Djibouti

Group B: Tunisia, Zambia, Mauritania, Equatorial Guinea

Group C:  Nigeria, Cape Verde, Liberia, Central African Republic

Group D: Cameron, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Malawi

Group E: Mali, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda

Group F: Egypt, Gabon, Libya, Angola

Group G: Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia

Group H: Senegal, Congo Republic, Namibia, Togo

Group I: Morocco, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sudan

Group J: DR Congo, Benin Republic, Madagascar, Tanzania