2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification — Group E

Teams

• Nigeria
• South Africa
• Libya
• Seychelles

Format and competition

The four teams played each other twice, once at home and once away, with the usual points system (three for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss). The top two teams at the end of the group stage qualified for the finals in Egypt in 2019. Matches were spread across the qualification window during 2017–2019 and included fixtures played in varied conditions and venues.

Group outcome

Nigeria finished at the top of Group E and secured direct qualification to the finals. South Africa claimed the other qualification berth as runners-up. Libya and Seychelles were unable to accumulate enough points to advance, highlighting the competitive gap that often exists between established football nations and smaller associations.

Key moments and context

Several matches in the group were noteworthy for the regional styles and player selections: Nigeria and South Africa largely relied on squads featuring professionals from top domestic and overseas leagues, while Libya and Seychelles fielded teams with varied experience levels. Home advantage, travel and player availability were recurring themes in how individual fixtures were decided.

Significance

Group E illustrates the structure of modern continental qualifying in Africa, where a mix of heavyweights and smaller nations compete across extended windows. For Nigeria and South Africa the campaign maintained their presence at the continent's marquee tournament; for Libya and Seychelles the group offered international exposure and development opportunities. For a schedule and match-by-match record consult the official competition pages and team reports.