Africa: the road to the World Cup 2026 play-offs!

Yesterday, Tuesday, the teams that have qualified for the African play-offs ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup were confirmed. This tournament will determine which African side will claim an extra spot at the World Cup.

Four teams that finished second in their respective groups will compete in this final phase: Cameroon, Nigeria, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

African play-offs for the 2026 World Cup: everything you need to know

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has outlined the format for this second phase of the African qualifiers. The matches will be played as a short tournament in Morocco in November.

The four teams will face off in the semi-finals, with the two winners advancing to the final to determine which nation will represent Africa in the intercontinental play-off against teams from other continents.

How will the African play-offs unfold?

• Semi-finals – November 13

  Highest-ranked team in the FIFA ranking × Lowest-ranked team

  Second-highest ranked team × Third-highest ranked team

• Final – November 16

  Winner of the first semi-final × Winner of the second semi-final

2026 World Cup: Discover the nine African teams that have qualified!

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.