The preliminary round of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification tournament decided the six teams which advanced to the group stage of the qualification tournament. The preliminary round consisted of the twelve lowest-ranked teams among the 54 entrants, and was held from 23 to 29 March 2022.
The twelve teams were split into six ties which were played in home-and-away two-legged format. The six winners: Botswana (awarded), São Tomé and PrÃÂncipe, South Sudan, Lesotho, Eswatini and Gambia advanced to the group stage to join the 42 teams which entered directly.
The draw for the preliminary round was held on 21 January 2022 at 16:00 WAT () in Douala, Cameroon. The twelve involved national teams were previously seeded into two pots of six based on the FIFA World Rankings from 23 December 2021 (shown in parentheses).
The teams in bold qualified for the qualifying group stage.
Former Cameroon captain Rigobert Song and Nigerian former player Emmanuel Amunike were the draw assistants during the ceremony. The draw resulted in six ties.
On 2 March 2022, Eritrea withdrew from the preliminary round.
The first legs were played on 23 and 24 March, and the second legs were played on 27 and 29 March.
In May, Mauritius were awarded a 3âÂÂ0 win in their first leg against São Tomé and PrÃÂncipe, allowing them to reach the group stage with a 6âÂÂ3 aggregate score, after the goalscorer for the latter LuÃÂs Leal was found to have breached the COVID-19 regulations. However, in June, São Tomé and PrÃÂncipe had their appeal honoured and the result of the first leg was allowed to stand, enabling them to qualify for the next stage 4âÂÂ3 on aggregate.
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São Tomé and PrÃÂncipe won 4âÂÂ3 on aggregate.
South Sudan won 5âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
Lesotho won 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Eswatini won 5âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Gambia won 3âÂÂ2 on aggregate.