The preliminary round of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification tournament decided four teams which advanced to the group stage of the qualification tournament. The preliminary round consisted of the eight lowest-ranked teams among the 52 entrants: Liberia, Mauritius, Gambia, South Sudan, Chad, São Tomé and PrÃÂncipe, Seychelles, and Djibouti.
The eight teams were drawn into four ties and played in home-and-away two-legged format. The four winners advanced to the group stage to join the 44 teams which entered directly.
The first legs were played on 9 October, and the second legs were played on 13 October 2019.
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1âÂÂ1 on aggregate. Chad won 5âÂÂ4 on penalties and advanced to qualification Group A.
South Sudan won 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate and advanced to qualification Group B.
São Tomé and PrÃÂncipe won 5âÂÂ2 on aggregate and advanced to qualification Group C.
2âÂÂ2 on aggregate. Gambia won 3âÂÂ2 on penalties and advanced to qualification Group D.