Defending champions Egypt were drawn in the same 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group as 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa on Saturday.

Sierra Leone, who beat and drew with Bafana Bafana (The Boys) in the last elimination competition, and Nigeria complete Group 7, which promises to be among the toughest.

Egypt will be seeking a record fourth consecutive title when Gabon and Equatorial Guinea co-host the next version of the biennial African football showpiece.

The Pharaohs defeated Ivory Coast on penalties in the 2006 final, Cameroon 1-0 two years later and Ghana by the same score in Angola last month with 'super sub' Mohamed Gedo Nagy snatching the late winner.

Only group winners are guaranteed places at the tournament so South Africa have their work cut out as they attempt to reclaim a place among the African elite after failing to qualify for Angola.

Every draw delivers a so-called 'group of death' and the 2012 Nations Cup is no exception with four-time champions Cameroon facing Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo plus lowly Mauritius.

While Cameroon have reached every tournament since 1996, Senegal and DR Congo missed out of the 2010 finals and will be champing at the bit to prove they are not spent forces.

Group 4 is going to be no less fascinating as World Cup qualifiers and 2010 Nations Cup semi-finalists Algeria share it with Morocco, Tanzania and the Central African Republic.

Togo were the only 2010 Nations Cup qualifiers not included in the draw after being disqualified because the organisers said illegal "government interference" led to their withdrawal after a fatal ambush in northern Angola.