ACN 2008

[Nordino]

I have some questions regarding the African Nations Cup in 2008.

- Who will host it?
- How will the qualification be as there is no World Cup before 2010?
- How will Algeria be seeded? Will our tragic qualifiers for this World Cup count considerable?

[TonyStarks]

Ghana is hosting the 2008 African Cups of Nations (ACN). As for qualifiers, it should be noted that its the first time in Africa that the World Cup and African Cup qualifiers were held together. Usually, they have separate qualifiers. However, since 2008 is only African Cup, it'll probably be the usual 13-14 groups (of 3-4) with Ghana (hosts) and the winner from this year getting automatic birth. The top team in the groups made up of 3 teams makes it. The top two in the groups of 4 make it. Thats the system thats usually in place. As for the seeding, CAF usually considers your last 3 presentations at the African Cup. For Algeria, we have nothing for 2006, quarter-final appearance in 2004 and group stage in 2002. We're probably looking at a level 3 seed. We can still end up with an easy group but it will probably mean beating teams like Gabon and Rwanda, something we couldnt do in the qualifiers.

[TonyStarks]

The draw for the 2008 African Cup in Ghana is scheduled for February 23rd. It is likely that qualification for the tournament will be based on 10 groups with the winners of each group and the top 5 runner ups will qualify, alongside the hosts Ghana. CAF feels that this system will give the smaller teams much needed experience compared to having a preliminary home-and-away knockout series.

[TonyStarks]

CAIRO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The draw for the qualifiers for the 2008 African Nations Cup finals have been held over until later this month because some countries had not yet entered the event, the Confederation of African Football said on Thursday. The draw traditionally takes place on the last days of the preceding finals but CAF said it would now conduct the draw on Feb. 24, the date set for the African Super Cup in Cairo. CAF general secretary Mustpha Fahmy said a decision still had to be take on the format for the qualifiers and that entries from some countries were still awaited, although it has already received 45 entries. The 2008 finals will be held in Ghana. CAF used the World Cup qualifiers to decide the 16 finalists for the 2006 tournament in Egypt but the 2008 qualifiers will be run by African football's controlling body.

[TonyStarks]

42 countries have been registered for the qualifiers of the 2008 African Cup Of Nations to be held in Ghana, Egyptian media has reported. Apart from Ghana, who qualify as hosts, 15 teams will fight for their place in the qualifiers. Al Ahram newspaper announced that 5 groups of 6 teams each will be formed, with the top 3 from each group qualifying to the African Cup. A preliminary round, to be played on a home-away basis, will be held to narrow down the number of teams.

[TonyStarks]

Forty-seven countries will go into Thursday's qualifying draw for the 2008 African Cup of Nations. Ghana, who will be hosting the next tournament, are the only country to automatically qualify for the competition. The competition format for the draw in Cairo has not been released by Caf, African football's governing body. But the qualifiers for the 2008 tournament will start this September. Djibouti, the tiny East African country, has entered for only the second time. But five countries - the Central African Republic, Comoros Islands, Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome e Principe and Somalia - will be absent from the qualifying rounds, as they failed to declare their interest in the competition. Countries that have entered the 2008 Nations Cup draw:

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

[TonyStarks]

Tomorrow is going to be one of the most important dates in the near future of Algerian football. If we get a hard draw and fail to qualify for the 2008 African Cup, it would mean the end of Algerian football. I mean missing one African Cup is understandable, but 2 in a row means there's a serious problem. Nshallah we get a favourable draw and qualify for the ACN. We need everyone's du3a2 (prayer) for this.