The preliminary round of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification tournament decided three teams which advanced to the group stage of the qualification tournament. The preliminary round consisted of the six lowest-ranked teams among the 51 entrants: Madagascar, São Tomé and PrÃÂncipe, South Sudan, Comoros, Djibouti, and Mauritius.
The six teams were drawn into three ties, played in home-and-away two-legged format between 22 and 28 March 2017.
The three winners advanced to the group stage to join the 45 teams which entered directly.
If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, the away goals rule was applied, and if still tied, extra time was not played, and a penalty shoot-out was used to determine the winner (Regulations Article 15). <section begin=Preliminary round />
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Madagascar won 4âÂÂ2 on aggregate and advanced to qualification Group A.
Comoros won 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate and advanced to qualification Group B.
South Sudan won 6âÂÂ2 on aggregate and advanced to qualification Group C.
There were 18 goals scored in 6 matches, for an average of goals per match.