Soccer News of Wednesday, 4 November 2009

Source: samm audu, goal.com

2010 Africa Cup Of Nations Draw Fixed For November 20

The 16 teams who have qualified for next year's Africa Cup of Nations will know their first round foes when the draw for the tournament is conducted in Luanda, Angola, on November 20.

According to the official website of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the draw will take place at the International Conference Centre Talatona in Luanda.

The ceremony, which will be witnessed by CAF President Issa Hayatou and CAF executive committee members, will also be attended by the 16 finalists teams representatives.

Host nation Angola will be one of the seeded teams for the championship.

Other teams who have qualified for the tournament are Cameroon, Gabon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali and Benin, while the other qualifiers will be decided on the final day of action on November 15.

The main seeding yardstick will be a team's performance at the last three Nations Cup, with the most recent edition at Ghana 2008 earning more points.

The 16 finalists will be divided into four groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group will qualify to compete in the knock-out stages, winners will qualify to play in the quarters-finals, then the semi-finals, before the final.

The Africa Cup of Nations will take place in Angola from January 10-31, 2010, and will be played in four venues: Luanda, Cabinada, Benguela and Lobango.

Egypt won the last competition a record six times in Ghana: 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006 and 2008.