The host nation Cameroon are top seeds in Group A and defending champions Nigeria top seeds in Group B.
South Africa will be drawn with one of them and Ghana, the other second seed, will go into the other group.
The four remaining teams are all unseeded, including Zimbabwe, who went to the Olympic Games women’s tournament in Brazil last month.
The other three competing at the tournament from November 19-December 3 are Egypt, Kenya and Mali.
The tournament is being played in Yaounde and the new stadium in Limbe, where Hlompho Kekana scored his wonder goal in the African Nations Cup qualifier in March.
Nigeria won the last championship in Namibia two years ago, with a 2-0 win over Cameroon in the final.
South Africa, who finished fourth in the 2014 tournament, have never won the African title but been runners-up four times.
Banyana are competing in the finals for the 10th successive time.