World Cup 2026 - African play-offs: Cameroon’s journey in the qualifiers

Cameroon was unable to secure a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup after finishing second in Group D of the qualifiers, behind Cape Verde.

It’s one of the biggest shocks of the African qualifiers. The Indomitable Lions were edged out by the Blue Sharks, who booked their ticket to their first-ever World Cup.

Also read: CAN 2025: It's already a ticketing disaster

Already trailing after losing to Cape Verde (1-0) and being held to four frustrating draws in 10 matches, Marc Brys' men clinched a play-off spot with a goalless draw against Angola on the final day.

Now, the Cameroonians have no margin for error if they want to reach the continental play-offs. They must first knock out DR Congo on November 13 in Rabat, then win the final against either Gabon or Nigeria on the 16th of the same month.

The road ahead remains long, as they could face one or two more matches—depending on FIFA rankings—against teams from other confederations to keep their dream alive of joining the party next summer in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

Related teams and leagues

Cameroon U17

World Cup U17