2019 Afcon Draws: Nigeria in Pot one, avoids Tunisia, Senegal in group stage
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are seeded in pot one for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Draws courtesy of their position on the latest FIFA ranking.
Released last week, the Eagles are third in Africa behind Senegal and Tunisia who are also in Pot one along with Egypt and Morocco and Cameroon.
This means that Nigeria will not face any of these countries in the group stage, but will be drawn against any of the countries in the other pots.
Nigeria is returning to the tournament after missing the last two editions.
The Draw Ceremony for the 32nd Africa Cup of Nations finals will hold in Cairo, Egypt on Friday evening at 7pm Nigeria time.
This year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals is the biggest in the history of the competition with 24 teams participating.
Hosts Egypt (who have also won the competition the highest number of times – seven), Cameroon (five –time winners and Cup holders), Nigeria (three –time winners), 2004 champions Tunisia, Senegal and 1976 champions Morocco are the seeded countries in the draw.
Egypt is also the country to have taken part the most in the championship, as she countenances a 24th appearance, while Cote d’Ivoire is heading to a 23rd show and Ghana will be making a 22nd appearance. Tunisia will make a 19th appearance while Nigeria will make her 18th appearance.
It will hold 21st June – 19th July 2019, in six venues: Cairo International Stadium; Borg El-Arab Stadium, Alexandria; Suez Stadium; Air Defence Stadium; Ismailia Stadium and; Al Salam Stadium.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation and 1st Vice President of CAF, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, who is also the President of the AFCON organizing committee, will be joined at the ceremony by the NFF Secretary General, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi who arrived in Cairo on Wednesday.
Pinnick has been in Cairo since the beginning of the week, leading final inspection teams across the various stadia, and chairing the AFCON committee meeting on Wednesday.
THE DIFFERENT POTS
Pot 1: Egypt, Cameroon, Senegal, Tunisia, Nigeria, Morocco
Pot 2: DR Congo, Ghana, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Algeria
Pot 3: South Africa, Uganda, Benin Republic, Mauritania, Madagascar, Kenya
Pot 4: Zimbabwe, Namibia, Guinea Bissau, Angola, Tanzania, Burundi