Algeria will start its Africa Cup of Nations title defense at home to former Zambia champions in November, confirmed Monday by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Between 11 and 19 November, the Desert Foxes will also visit Botswana, giving the defending champions a realistic chance to collect a maximum of six points from the two matches.
Zimbabwe completes Group H and the top two finishers after each country plays the other three at home and qualifies away for Cameroon’s 2021 tournament.
After a penalty shootout in Libreville, Zambia has struggled in the Cup of Nations since a final shock on the Ivory Coast in 2012.
The Chipolopolo (Copper Bullets) produced two first round exits in the four subsequent editions and did not qualify even for the last two tournaments.
Botswana took just one point from a possible 18 Nations Cup qualifiers in 2019 and in the July world rankings were 107 places below Algeria.
Because of a second-minute goal from Baghdad Bounedjah, Riyad Mahrez-captained Algeria became African champions a second time by beating Senegal 1-0 in the final in Cairo this month.
Full details of the fixtures
Preliminary round
Liberia v Chad, South Sudan v Seychelles, Mauritius v Sao Tome e Principe, Djibouti v Gambia
First, second legs: Oct 7-15
Groups
Matchday 1 (Nov 11-19)
A: Mali v Guinea, Namibia v Liberia/Chad; B: Burkina Faso v Uganda, Malawi v S. Sudan/Seychelles; C: Ghana v South Africa, Sudan v Mauritius/S. Tome; D: Democratic Republic of Congo v Gabon, Angola v Djibouti/Gambia; E: Morocco v Mauritania, Central Africa Republic v Burundi; F: Cameroon v Cape Verde, Mozambique v Rwanda; G: Egypt v Kenya, Togo v Comoros; H: Algeria (holders) v Zambia, Zimbabwe v Botswana; I: Senegal v Congo Brazzaville, Guinea-Bissau v eSwatini (formerly Swaziland); J: Tunisia v Libya, Tanzania v Equatorial Guinea; K: Ivory Coast v Niger, Madagascar v Ethiopia; L: Nigeria v Benin, Sierra Leone v Lesotho
Matchday 2 (Nov 11-19)
A: Guinea v Namibia, Liberia/Chad v Mali; B: Uganda v Malawi, S. Sudan/Seychelles v B. Faso; C: S. Africa v Sudan, Mauritius/S. Tome v Ghana; D: Gabon v Angola, Djibouti/Gambia v DR Congo; E: Mauritania v C.A.R., Burundi v Morocco; F: C. Verde v Mozambique, Rwanda v Cameroon; G: Kenya v Togo, Comoros v Egypt; H: Zambia v Zimbabwe, Botswana v Algeria; I: Congo v G. Bissau, eSwatini v Senegal; J: Libya v Tanzania, E. Guinea v Tunisia; K: Niger v Madagascar, Ethiopia v I. Coast; L: Benin v S. Leone, Lesotho v Nigeria
Matchday 3 (Aug 31-Sept 8 2020)
A: Mali v Namibia, Guinea v Liberia/Chad; B: B. Faso v Malawi, Uganda v S. Sudan/Seychelles; C: Ghana v Sudan, S. Africa v Mauritius/S. Tome; D: DR Congo v Angola, Gabon v Djibouti/Gambia; E: Morocco v C.A.R., Mauritania v Burundi; F: Cameroon v Mozambique, C. Verde v Rwanda; G: Egypt v Togo, Kenya v Comoros; H: Algeria v Zimbabwe, Zambia v Botswana; I: Senegal v G. Bissau, Congo v eSwatini; J: Tunisia v Tanzania, Libya v E. Guinea; K: I. Coast v Madagascar, Niger v Ethiopia; L: Nigeria v S. Leone, Benin v Lesotho
Matchday 4 (Aug 31-Sept 8)
A: Namibia v Mali, Liberia/Chad v Guinea; B: Malawi v Burkina Faso, South Sudan/Seychelles v Uganda; C: Sudan v Ghana, Mauritius/S. Tome v S. Africa; D: Angola v DR Congo, Djibouti/Gambia v Gabon; E: C.A.R. v Morocco, Burundi v Mauritania; F: Mozambique v Cameroon, Rwanda v C. Verde; G: Togo v Egypt, Comoros v Kenya; H: Zimbabwe v Algeria, Botswana v Zambia; I: G. Bissau v Senegal, eSwatini v Congo; J: Tanzania v Tunisia, E. Guinea v Libya; K: Madagascar v I. Coast, Ethiopia v Niger; L: S. Leone v Nigeria, Lesotho v Benin
Matchday 5 (Oct 5-13)
A: Guinea v Mali, Liberia/Chad v Namibia; B: Uganda v B. Faso, S. Sudan/Seychelles v Malawi; C: S. Africa v Ghana, Mauritius/S. Tome v Sudan; D: Gabon v DR Congo, Djibouti/Gambia v Angola; E: Mauritania v Morocco, Burundi v C.A.R.; F: C. Verde v Cameroon, Rwanda v Mozambique; G: Kenya v Egypt, Comoros v Togo; H: Zambia v Algeria, Botswana v Zimbabwe; I: Congo v Senegal, eSwatini v G. Bissau; J: Libya v Tunisia, E. Guinea v Tanzania; K: Niger v I. Coast, Ethiopia v Madagascar; L: Benin v Nigeria, Lesotho v S. Leone
Matchday 6 (Nov 9-17)
A: Namibia v Guinea, Mali v Liberia/Chad; B: Malawi v Uganda, B. Faso v S. Sudan/Seychelles; C: Sudan v S. Africa, Ghana v Mauritius/S. Tome; D: Angola v Gabon, DR Congo v Djibouti/Gambia; E: C.A.R. v Mauritania, Morocco v Burundi; F: Mozambique v C. Verde, Cameroon v Rwanda; G: Togo v Kenya, Egypt v Comoros; H: Zimbabwe v Zambia, Algeria v Botswana; I: G. Bissau v Congo, Senegal v eSwatini; J: Tanzania v Libya, Tunisia v E. Guinea; K: Madagascar v Niger, I. Coast v Ethiopia; L: S. Leone v Benin, Nigeria v Lesotho
Note: Group winners and runners-up qualify for 2021 tournament except for Group F where hosts Cameroon qualify with the highest placed of the other three nations.