File Photo: Egypt's defenders Ahmed Hegazy, Mohamed Abdel-Shafy and Ahmed Fathi react as Burkina Faso's forward Bertrand Traore (L) falls during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final football match between Burkina Faso and Egypt at the Stade de l'Amitie Sino-Gabonaise in Libreville on February 1, 2017. (AFP)
Egypt national football team have booked their place in the first seed for the 2019 African Cup of Nations finals to avoid playing top flight teams Ghana, Tunisia, Cameroon, Senegal and Ivory Coast in the tournament's group stage.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) have announced Sunday the seeding of the teams that will participate in the AFCON finals as Morocco, Nigeria and Algeria came in the second seed five days before the tournament's draw.
The 2019 AFCON draw will be held at the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx on 12 April.
The CAF announced that the 2019 African Cup of Nations will start on 21 June and end on 13 July.
Egypt will host AFCON 2019 after original host Cameroon was stripped of its duties due to delays in its preparations for the expanded 24-team tournament.
The opening match, which will feature the Pharaohs, is scheduled to take place at the 74,100-seat Cairo Stadium.
The AFCON teams' seeding:
First seed: Egypt, Ghana, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Senegal
Second seed: Morocco, Nigeria, DR Congo, Algeria, Mali and Guinea
Third seed: Uganda, South Africa, Guinea-Bissau, Zimbabwe, Angola and Burundi
Fourth seed: Mauritania, Namibia, Benin, Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar
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