The 30 teams (9 teams given a bye directly to the second round and 21 winners from the first round ) were split into five groups of six teams each – with all teams playing home and away against each of the other five teams in the group.
The highest-ranked team in each group qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup , while the top three teams qualified for the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations (except in Egypt's case; since Egypt qualified for the tournament directly as hosts, fourth-placed Libya qualified in its place.)
Group 1
Matches
20 June 2004 16:00
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Abderrahim El Arjoun (
Morocco )
4 July 2004 16:00
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Mohamed Soumah (
Guinea )
5 September 2004 16:00
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Jean-Olivier Mbera (
Gabon )
26 March 2005 16:30
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Abdullhakim Shelmani (
Libya )
27 March 2005 18:00
Attendance: 45,000
Referee: Justus Agbenyega (
Ghana )
Togo's last minute goal, which eliminated Mali from contention, angered the crowd, who proceeded to riot in the streets of Bamako.[1] [2]
18 June 2005 15:00
Attendance: 29,000
Referee: Eugenio Colembi (
Angola )
19 June 2005 16:00
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Malick Sillah (
Gambia )
3 September 2005 18:00
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Jean-Olivier Mbera (
Gabon )
4 September 2005 15:30
Attendance: 28,000
Referee: Khalid Abdel Rahman (
Sudan )
(Due to security concerns related to elections , the match was played behind closed doors.)
8 October 2005 16:00
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Abdullhakim Shelmani (
Libya )
Group 2
Matches
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Chukwudi Chukwujekwu (
Nigeria )
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Reda El-Beltagy (
Egypt )
4 September 2004 18:00 UTC+0
5 September 2004 15:00 UTC+0
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Wahid Tamuni (
Libya )
5 September 2004 15:30 UTC+1
Attendance: 85,000
Referee: Jean-Marie Hicuburundi (
Burundi )
9 October 2004 16:00 UTC-1
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Kudzo Aziaka (
Togo )
10 October 2004 15:00 UTC+0
10 October 2004 16:30 UTC+0
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Michel Gasingwa (
Rwanda )
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Chukwudi Chukwujekwu (
Nigeria )
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Abdullhakim Shelmani (
Libya )
3 September 2005 18:00 UTC+0
4 September 2005 15:30 UTC+1
4 September 2005 16:30 UTC+0
Attendance: 45,000
Referee: Jean-Marie Hicuburundi (
Burundi )
8 October 2005 14:00 UTC-1
8 October 2005 17:00 UTC+2
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Jean-Olivier Mbera (
Gabon )
8 October 2005 18:00 UTC+3
Group 3
Matches
6 June 2004 15:30
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Jean-Olivier Mbera (
Gabon )
6 June 2004 16:00
Attendance: 40,827
Referee: Eugenio Colembi (
Angola )
4 July 2004 16:00
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Chukwudi Chukwujekwu (
Nigeria )
9 October 2004 20:30
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Buenkadila Wabelo Bisingu (
Congo DR )
4 June 2005 16:00
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Abderrahim El Arjoun (
Morocco )
4 September 2005 20:30
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Buenkadila Wabelo Bisingu (
Congo DR )
Group 4
Matches
5 June 2004 16:00
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Alex Quartey (
Ghana )
3 July 2004 16:00
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Ladoual Hisseine (
Chad )
3 July 2004 16:00
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Youngson Chilinda (
Malawi )
3 July 2004 16:00
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: René Louzaya (
Congo )
5 September 2004 15:00
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Joseph Mandzioukouta (
Congo )
9 October 2004 16:00
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Khalid Abdel Rahman (
Sudan )
10 October 2004 15:30
Attendance: 17,000
Referee: Verson Lwanja (
Malawi )
26 March 2005 19:00
Attendance: 16,489
Referee: Jean-Marie Hicuburundi (
Burundi )
5 June 2005 15:00
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Muhmed Ssegonga (
Uganda )
5 June 2005 15:30
Attendance: 27,000
Referee: Jean-Marie Hicuburundi (
Burundi )
18 June 2005 16:00
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Abderrahim El Arjoun (
Morocco )
4 September 2005 15:00
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Muhmed Ssegonga (
Uganda )
4 September 2005 20:30
Attendance: 11,000
Referee: Abdullhakim Shelmani (
Libya )
Group 5
Matches
5 June 2004 19:15
Attendance: 2,844
Referee: Khalid Abdel Rahman (
Sudan )
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Wahid Tamuni (
Libya )
4 September 2004 16:00
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Cornelius Mwanza (
Zambia )
4 September 2004 19:30
Attendance: 45,000
Referee: Ahmed Auda (
Egypt )
5 September 2004 16:30
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Justus Agbenyega (
Ghana )
9 October 2004 16:00
Attendance: 16,500
Referee: Eugenio Colembi (
Angola )
26 March 2005 16:00
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Buenkadila Wabelo Bisingu (
Congo DR )
26 March 2005 19:15
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Khalid Abdel Rahman (
Sudan )
4 June 2005 20:00
Attendance: 48,000
Referee: Buenkadila Wabelo Bisingu (
Congo DR )
5 June 2005 16:30
Attendance: 21,000
Referee: Jean-Olivier Mbera (
Gabon )
(Due to unruly behaviour and stampede killing one person in the game against Morocco, this match was played behind closed doors.) [4]