Mo Salah, Sadio Mane in focus as Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers return: Full schedule and start times for India

With club football going into a two-week-long break starting this week, international football is poised to take centre-stage again.

While fans will be treated to a handful of international friendlies and the UEFA Nations League, the highlight of this international break will be the return of Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers after almost a year-long hiatus.

The last leg of the AFCON qualifiers was played way back in November 2019. The fixtures scheduled for March were postponed due to COVID-19. Consequently, the main event, which was earlier slated to be held in Cameroon in January 2021, was also moved back to 2022.

With qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations 2022 on the line, 48 countries, divided into 12 groups, will go into the next set of fixtures with full-strength squads, including their biggest stars.

Liverpool's African stars Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are both set to feature for their respective countries, Egypt and Senegal, in the AFCON 2022 qualifiers over the next fortnight.

Mohamed Salah's Egypt - seven-time African champions - are currently struggling in Group G with just two points from their two matches and are placed third behind Comoros and Kenya. 

Set to play fourth-placed Togo in back-to-back ties in matchweeks 3 and 4 respectively, the Pharaohs will be eager to pick up maximum points from these to get a foothold on their group. The top two teams at the end of the group stage qualifies. 

Egypt coach Hossam El-Badry has announced a strong squad for the double header, with Mo Salah, Arsenal star Mohamed Elneny and Aston Villa's Mahmoud Hassam all named in the final 26-man shortlist.

Sadio Mane's Senegal, meanwhile, already top Group I with six points from their two matches so far and will be out to drive the advantage further when they face Guinea-Bissau twice over the next two weeks. 

Apart from Mane, Senegal coach Aliou Cisse's 25-man squad also has some recognised names in Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly, Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, Watford winger Ismaila Sarr and PSG midfielder Idrissa Gueye. 

Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez will also be spearheading the Algerian side when they take on Zimbabwe. Algeria are on a 20-match unbeaten streak and currently top Group H with maximum points from their two qualifying matches.

Africa Cup of Nations 2022 Qualifiers matchweek 3 schedule, India start times

All times are in Indian Standard Time (IST)

Wednesday, November 11

Guinea vs Chad – 9:30 PM IST

Mauritania vs Burundi – 9:30 PM IST

Senegal vs Guinea-Bissau – 9:30 PM IST

Kenya vs Comoros – 9:30 PM IST

Cape Verde vs Rwanda – 9:30 PM IST

Thursday, November 12

Libya vs Equatorial Guinea - 12:30 AM IST

Uganda vs South Sudan – 6:30 PM IST

Ghana vs Sudan – 9:30 PM IST

Zambia vs Botswana – 9:30 PM IST

Congo vs Eswatini – 9:30 PM IST

Cameroon vs Mozambique – 9:30 PM IST

Friday, November 13

Gabon vs Gambia – 12:30 AM IST

Algeria vs Zimbabwe – 12:30 AM IST

Burkina Faso vs Malawi – 12:30 AM IST

Ivory Coast vs Madagascar – 12:30 AM IST

Niger vs Ethiopia – 9:30 PM IST

Nigeria vs Sierra Leone – 9:30 PM IST

Saturday, November 14

Morocco vs Central African Republic – 12:30 AM IST

Tunisia vs Tanzania – 12:30 AM IST

South Africa vs Sao Tome and Principe – 12:30 AM IST

Mali vs Namibia – 12:30 AM IST

Benin vs Lesotho – 9:30 PM IST

Sunday, November 15

Egypt vs Togo – 12:30 AM IST

DR Congo vs Angola – 12:30 AM IST

AFCON 2022 Qualifiers matchweek 4 fixtures, start times for India

All times are in Indian Standard Time (IST)

Sunday, November 15

Burundi vs Mauritania – 6:30 PM IST

Chad vs Guinea – 9:30 PM IST

Comoros vs Kenya – 9:30 PM IST

Guinea-Bissau vs Senegal – 9:30 PM IST

Monday, November 16

Equatorial Guinea vs Libya – 12:30 AM IST

Malawi vs Burkina Faso – 6:30 PM IST

Zimbabwe vs Algeria – 6:30 PM IST

South Sudan vs Uganda – 6:30 PM IST

Sao Tome and Principe vs South Africa – 6:30 PM IST

Eswatini vs Congo – 6:30 PM IST

Mozambique vs Cameroon – 9:30 PM IST

Gambia vs Gabon – 9:30 PM IST

Botswana vs Zambia – 9:30 PM IST

Tuesday, November 17

Ethiopia vs Niger – 6:30 PM IST

Madagascar vs Ivory Coast – 6:30 PM IST

Rwanda vs Cape Verde – 6:30 PM IST

Sudan vs Ghana – 9:30 PM IST

Lesotho vs Benin – 6:30 PM IST

Central African Republic vs Morocco – 9:30 PM IST

Togo vs Egypt – 9:30 PM IST

Angola vs DR Congo – 9:30 PM IST

Sierra Leone vs Nigeria – 9:30 PM IST

Wednesday, November 18

Namibia vs Mali – 12:30 AM IST

Tanzania vs Tunisia – 12:30 AM IST

*There is no information on live broadcast for India so far.