By: Kwame Bediako
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo, and Gabon will compete in a playoff tournament to decide Africa’s final representative for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
These four nations, finishing as the best second-placed teams in the qualification group stage, will battle it out in Morocco this November.
The mini-tournament will kick off with the semifinal matches on November 13, 2025, followed by the final on November 16.
The winner will earn the coveted opportunity to advance to the inter-confederation playoffs, scheduled for March 2026, where they will face teams from other continents for a World Cup berth.
Morocco will host the tournament, adding a home advantage for one of Africa’s automatic World Cup qualifiers. This playoff presents a high-stakes competition as only one team will progress from the four hopeful contenders.
Meanwhile, Africa’s nine automatic qualifiers, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Senegal, and Ivory Coast have already secured their places in the expanded 48-nation FIFA World Cup set to take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States next year.
CAF’s playoff system ensures that African teams have a fair chance to compete for the final World Cup spot while adding excitement and competitive balance ahead of the global event. All eyes will be on Morocco in November as these four teams vie for their shot at football’s biggest stage.
