South Africa as hosts and
Nigeria as title holders qualified automatically, while the remaining six spots were determined by the qualification rounds which took place between June and August 2000.
Format Qualification took place on a home-and-away
two-legged basis. If aggregate scores were tied after the second leg, the
away goals rule would apply, even adding the
penalty shoot-out if scores were still level. No
extra time period was used. The six winners of the qualification round qualified for the group stage.
Preliminary round ;Notes
Qualification round ;Notes First leg on 29–30 July; Second leg on 11–13 August.
Réunion won 5–4 on aggregate and qualified for the group stage. ----
Cameroon won by default and qualified for the group stage after Gabon failed to show up for the second leg. ----
Morocco won 6–1 on aggregate and qualified for the group stage. ----
Zimbabwe won 8–0 on aggregate and qualified for the group stage. ----
Ghana won by default and qualified for the group stage. ----
Uganda won by default and qualified for the group stage. Qualified teams Réunion,
Uganda and
Zimbabwe made their tournament debut at this edition. Zimbabwe originally entered
this tournament's inaugural edition, but withdrew before playing any match. ==Squads==