The Leone Stars will face Sao Tome and Principe after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) kicked out Mauritius from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.

Soa Time and Principe will now join Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau in Group A after CAF upheld their appeal against Mauritius’s protest that they fielded an illegible player in a qualifying clash between the two nations.

Sao Tome & Principe have had their appeal against disqualification from the AFCON 2023 qualifiers upheld by the CAF Appeals Board.

CAF also ruled out that the São Tomé and Príncipe Football Association shall be reimbursed the Appeal fees.

Sao Tome and Principe were thrown out of the AFCON 2023 qualifiers mid last month after Mauritius Football Association reported them to CAF for fielding an ineligible player.

The Falcons and True Parrots of Sao Tome and Principe were subsequently disqualified by CAF Disciplinary Board following investigations.

However, Sao Tome and Principe Football Association decided the CAF Disciplinary Board to the Appeals Board and successfully won their appeal.

AFCON 2023 qualifiers: Super Eagles to face Sao Tome after CAF kicked out Mauritius

According to the decision by the CAF Appeals Board, following further investigations, Sao Tome and Principe’s appeal has been considered “admissible’ and ‘upheld’.

“After hearing both parties’ presentations, the CAF Appeals Board ruled that,” CAF stated in a statement on their official website.

“The Appeal of São Tomé and Príncipe Football Association is considered admissible in form. The Appeal of the São Tomé and Príncipe Football Association is upheld and the decision of the CAF Disciplinary Board is set aside in its entirety.”

The statement added that the result of the match played on March 24, 2022, has been ratified and validated, with Sao Tome and Principle expected to be reimbursed the appeal fees.