Road to Gabon: AFCON 2017 final list

The 16 teams for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon are now known. Besides host Gabon, the list includes Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Champions Ivory Coast ensured they will defend their title next year after drawing 1-1 at home to Sierra Leone.

Champions Ivory Coast survive scare to qualify https://t.co/xtEdr8lJw9

— CAF (@CAF_Online) September 4, 2016

Uganda, second in Group D with 13 points, and Togo, second in Group A with 11 points qualified as the two best runners-up.

Uganda end 38-year wait, Burkina also qualify https://t.co/WE3pJs2scm

— CAF (@CAF_Online) September 4, 2016

Uganda secured the AFCON ticket for first time since 1978 , while Burkina Faso also qualified from Group D after a dramatic climax Sunday, after they scored 9 minutes into stoppage time to edge Botswana 2-1 and top the standings on the head-to-head rule after a match in which three players were red-carded.

Mali who had already qualified going into the final leg of the qualifiers recorded an emphatic 5-2 win over Benin in seven-goal thriller in Bamako on Sunday afternoon.

Guinea-Bissau will be the only newcomers at next year’s finals whilst Senegal