Qualifiers for the next Africa Cup of Nations have been pushed back ©Getty Images

Qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast have been delayed in an attempt to aid African sides' preparations for the World Cup in November and December.

The continents men's national teams had been due to play two qualifiers each in September, but they have now been moved to March.

The Confederation of African Football Executive Committee approved the revised calendar and said it was an effort to help the five teams due to play at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar - Tunisia, Morocco, Cameroon, Ghana and African champions Senegal.

This delay was made feasible by last month's decision to delay the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations from June 2023 to January 2024.

Concern about the weather in June prompted that delay, as it is typically when the host country experiences a rainy season.

African champions Senegal are one of five teams from the continent to have qualified for the World Cup ©Getty Images
African champions Senegal are one of five teams from the continent to have qualified for the World Cup ©Getty Images

There was deadly flooding and landslides in Ivory Coast this June, including in the biggest city Abidjan.

The Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers first set for March have been moved to June and September next year.

Ivory Coast has not staged the Africa Cup of Nations since 1984.

No African team has ever been beyond the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup and none of the five made it out of their groups at the last edition, in Russia in 2018.