1996 African Cup of Nations qualification
| Qualification for championships (CAF) | 
|---|
The Qualification for the 1996 African Cup of Nations took place in 7 groups of 6 teams each, with the top 2 teams from each group progressing to the tournament. Nigeria and South Africa qualified automatically, as champions and hosts respectively. Qualification began in September 1994 and ended in July 1995.
Qualifying round
Group 1
Lesotho withdrew after competing 6 matches (1 win, 5 losses); Their results were annulled. Swaziland withdrew without playing any matches.
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .svg.png) Zaire | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 7 | 
|  Cameroon | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 
|  Malawi | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 5 | 
|  Zimbabwe | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 12 | −4 | 5 | 
| .svg.png) Lesotho (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
|  Swaziland (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
(W) Withdrew
Group 2
Guinea Bissau withdrew after competing 3 matches (1 draw, 2 losses); their results were annulled.
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .svg.png) Tunisia | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 10 | 
|  Liberia | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 10 | 
|  Senegal | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 8 | +2 | 9 | 
| .svg.png) Mauritania | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 6 | 
| .svg.png) Togo | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 5 | 
|  Guinea-Bissau (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
(W) Withdrew
| Senegal  | 0 – 0 | .svg.png) Mauritania | 
|---|---|---|
| Mauritania .svg.png) | 1 – 1 Annulled |  Guinea-Bissau | 
|---|---|---|
| Ould Malha  25' | Mané  87' | 
| Mauritania .svg.png) | 1 – 1 |  Liberia | 
|---|---|---|
| Ould Malha  79' | N'Diaye  28' (o.g.) | 
| Guinea-Bissau  | 1 – 4 Annulled |  Senegal | 
|---|---|---|
| Khome  68' | Diallo  5' Sané  38', 65' Diatta  73' | 
| Togo .svg.png) | 0 – 0 | .svg.png) Mauritania | 
|---|---|---|
| Tunisia .svg.png) | 1 – 0 | .svg.png) Mauritania | 
|---|---|---|
| Mahjoubi  67' | 
| Mauritania .svg.png) | 0 – 1 |  Senegal | 
|---|---|---|
| Diallo  14' | 
| Liberia  | 2 – 0 | .svg.png) Mauritania | 
|---|---|---|
| Debbah  25', 67' | 
| Mauritania .svg.png) | 2 – 1 | .svg.png) Togo | 
|---|---|---|
| Sidibe  12' Wade  60' | Lantam  82' | 
| Mauritania .svg.png) | 0 – 0 | .svg.png) Tunisia | 
|---|---|---|
Group 3
Gambia and Niger withdrew after competing 5 matches each; their results were annulled. Central African Republic withdrew without playing any match.
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  Ghana | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 6 | 
|  Sierra Leone | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 6 | 
|  Congo | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 10 | −7 | 0 | 
|  Gambia (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
|  Niger (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
|  Central African Republic (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
(W) Withdrew
| Sierra Leone  | 3 – 2 |  Congo | 
|---|---|---|
| Diallo  34' Conteh  43', 53' | Baloki  33' Imboula  86' | 
| Niger  | 4 – 2 Annulled |  Sierra Leone | 
|---|---|---|
| Djibo  5', 22' Ayi  55' Ide  65' | Pieter  37' Konté  60' | 
| Sierra Leone  | 2 – 0 Annulled |  Gambia | 
|---|---|---|
| Koroma  50' Kanu  53' | 
| Sierra Leone  | 1 – 0 |  Ghana | 
|---|---|---|
| Conteh  77' (pen.) | 
| Congo  | 0 – 2 |  Sierra Leone | 
|---|---|---|
| Kallon  54' Sama  90' | 
| Sierra Leone  | 5 – 1 Annulled |  Niger | 
|---|---|---|
| Kallon  32' Kallon  55', 69' Zarppa  75' Sama  78' | Ide  18' | 
Group 4
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  Egypt | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 5 | +19 | 15 | 
|  Algeria | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 13 | 
|  Uganda | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 16 | −5 | 10 | 
|  Tanzania | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 15 | −1 | 8 | 
|  Sudan | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 14 | −4 | 8 | 
| .svg.png) Ethiopia | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 18 | −14 | 6 | 
| Egypt  | 5 – 1 |  Tanzania | 
|---|---|---|
| El-Kass  12', 52' Salah-El-Din  64' Hassan  82' (pen.) Fathi  84' | Tazali  55' | 
| Egypt  | 3 – 1 |  Sudan | 
|---|---|---|
| Aboul-Dahab  10' El-Sawy  70' El-Kass  88' | Edward Jildo  71' | 
| Tanzania  | 1 – 2 |  Egypt | 
|---|---|---|
| Selemani  89' | Aboul-Dahab  27', 68' | 
Match awarded 2–0 to Algeria following a protest to CAF.
| Ethiopia .svg.png) | 0 – 2 |  Egypt | 
|---|---|---|
| Aboul-Dahab  7' Khashaba  38' | 
| Egypt  | 6 – 0 |  Uganda | 
|---|---|---|
| El-Kass  4', 65', 73' Sabry  8', 43' Abougreisha  36' | 
Group 5
South Africa withdrew from qualification (played 3 matches) after they were awarded hosting rights. They were replaced by Kenya, which later withdrew.
Madagascar withdrew after one match (lost to South Africa). Seychelles withdrew before playing any match. All results of the withdrawn teams were annulled.
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  Gabon | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 6 | 
|  Zambia | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 6 | 
|  Mauritius | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | −11 | 0 | 
|  South Africa (H) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
|  Madagascar (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| .svg.png) Seychelles (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
(H) Awarded hosting rights; (W) Withdrew
Awarded hosting rights
| Madagascar  | 0 – 1 Annulled |  South Africa | 
|---|---|---|
| Masinga  21' | 
| South Africa  | 1 – 0 Annulled |  Mauritius | 
|---|---|---|
| Masinga  51' | 
| Zambia  | 1 – 1 Annulled |  South Africa | 
|---|---|---|
| Malitoli  86' (pen.) | Doctor Khumalo  68' | 
Group 6
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  Angola | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 8 | +9 | 14 | 
|  Mozambique | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 8 | +8 | 14 | 
|  Guinea | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 9 | +8 | 12 | 
|  Mali | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 10 | +5 | 11 | 
|  Namibia | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 16 | −8 | 7 | 
|  Botswana | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 27 | −22 | 2 | 
| Mali  | 2 – 1 |  Mozambique | 
|---|---|---|
| Sidibé  20', 30' | Matola  69' | 
| Mozambique  | 3 – 1 |  Botswana | 
|---|---|---|
| Arnaldo  34', 39', 73' | Pikati  74' | 
| Mozambique  | 2 – 1 |  Guinea | 
|---|---|---|
| Tchaka-Tchaka  64' (pen.) Tico-Tico  89' | Sylla  20' | 
| Angola  | 1 – 0 |  Mozambique | 
|---|---|---|
| Túbia  19' | 
| Mozambique  | 4 – 2 |  Namibia | 
|---|---|---|
| Nuro  6', 30', 90' Eurico  68' | Hoeseb  72' Boonstaander  90' | 
| Mozambique  | 1 – 0 |  Mali | 
|---|---|---|
| Chiquinho Conde  44' | 
| Botswana  | 0 – 3 |  Mozambique | 
|---|---|---|
| Chiquinho Conde  15', 53' Nuro  69' | 
| Guinea  | 0 – 0 |  Mozambique | 
|---|---|---|
| Mozambique  | 2 – 1 |  Angola | 
|---|---|---|
| Faife  15' Nana  46' | Paulão  75' | 
| Namibia  | 0 – 0 |  Mozambique | 
|---|---|---|
Group 7
Benin, Cape Verde and Equatorial Guinea withdrew without playing any matches.
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  Burkina Faso | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 5 | 
|  Ivory Coast | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 4 | 
|  Morocco | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 3 | 
|  Benin (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
|  Cape Verde (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
|  Equatorial Guinea (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
(W) Withdrew
| Burkina Faso  | 2 – 1 |  Morocco | 
|---|---|---|
| Ouédraogo  49' Ouattara  68' | El-Khalej  32' | 
| Morocco  | 1 – 0 |  Ivory Coast | 
|---|---|---|
| Nader  15' | 
| Ivory Coast  | 2 – 2 |  Burkina Faso | 
|---|---|---|
| Tiéhi  7', 43' | Nafou  50' Traoré  80' | 
| Morocco  | 0 – 0 |  Burkina Faso | 
|---|---|---|
| Ivory Coast  | 2 – 0 |  Morocco | 
|---|---|---|
| Tiéhi  19' Bamba  65' | 
| Burkina Faso  | 1 – 1 |  Ivory Coast | 
|---|---|---|
| Ouattara  22' | Tiéhi  64' | 
Qualified teams
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* Nigeria withdrew prior to the start of the finals. Guinea, as the best side to not qualify, was offered Nigeria's spot in the finals, but declined due to a lack of preparation time.

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