Football: 2013 African Nations Cup qualifiers-Seychelles to meet DR Congo after Swaziland withdrawal |04 January 2012

The Seychelles national team were to play Swaziland in the first leg of the preliminary round later this week, but the Swaziland Football Association pulled its team out of the qualifiers on Sunday, saying it does not have the funds for the trip to Seychelles.

According to reports, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) would probably impose a fine on the kingdom of Swaziland for the withdrawal. Swaziland would also face the possibility of being banned from the 2015 tournament.

The qualifying competition for next year's African Nations Cup in South Africa starts less than two weeks before the 2012 finals, which are being played in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon from January 21-February 14.

From next year, the biennial tournament will shift from even to odd years to avoid clashing with the World Cup.

G. G.