How to qualify

In all, there are 14 first leg ties scheduled for this weekend, with the return matches to be played in a fortnight's time on the weekend of 28-30 April. The aggregate winners then advance to the first round in August, when they'll be joined by another 13 countries.

The final seven qualifiers will join hosts Congo for the African Youth Championships early next year, and it's there that the qualifiers for the World Youth Championships will be decided.

Preliminary round:
Libya v Algeria
Swaziland v Mozambique
Madagascar v Mauritius
Uganda v Zimbabwe
Malawi v Botswana
Niger v Togo
Rwanda v Ethiopia
Djibouti v Kenya
Equatorial Guinea v Gabon
Sudan v Tunisia
Sierra Leone v Gambia
Mauritania v Guinea
Senegal v Cape Verde Islands
DR Congo v Namibia
 
First leg matches: 14-16 April
Second leg matches: 28-30 April
 
 
First round:
Ghana v Senegal or Cape Verde Islands
Egypt v Libya or Algeria
Burundi v Swaziland or Mozambique
Zambia v Madagascar or Mauritius
South Africa v Uganda or Zimbabwe
Lesotho v Malawi or Botswana
Cameroon v Niger or Togo
Rwanda or Ethiopia v Djibouti or Kenya
Nigeria v Equatorial Guinea or Gabon
Angola v Cote d'Ivoire
Benin v Sudan or Tunisia
Morocco v Sierra Leone or Gambia
Mali v Mauritania or Guinea
Burkina Faso v DR Congo v Namibia
 
First leg matches: 4-6 August
Second leg matches: 18-20 August
 
Second round:
Burundi/Swaziland/Mozambique v Egypt/Libya/Algeria
South Africa/Uganda/Zimbabwe v Zambia/Madagascar/Mauritius
Cameroon/Niger/Togo v Lesotho/Malawi/Botswana
Nigeria/Equatorial Guinea/Gabon v Rwanda/Ethiopia/Djibouti/Kenya
Benin/Sudan/Tunisia v Angola/Cote d'Ivoire
Mali/Mauritania/Guinea v Morocco/Sierra Leone/Gambia
Burkina Faso/DR Congo/Namibia v Ghana/Senegal/Cape Verde Islands
 
First leg matches: 29-30 September, 1 October
Second leg matches: 20-22 October