The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the fixtures and dates for the 2026 FIFA World Cup African play-offs, where four nations will compete for the continent’s final qualifying spot.
CAF confirmed that Morocco, which will host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), has also been selected to stage the crucial play-offs that will determine the last African team to reach the intercontinental play-offs.
Following their 4-0 victory over Benin Republic in Uyo highlighted by Victor Osimhen’s hat-trick Nigeria’s Super Eagles secured a place in the play-offs alongside Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Gabon.
According to CAF’s schedule, the play-off fixtures will take place on 13 November 2025, with Cameroon facing DR Congo, while Nigeria will play against Gabon. Both matches will be single-leg ties on neutral ground in Morocco.
The winners of the two matches will advance to the final on 16 November 2025, where the victor will earn Africa’s remaining slot in the Intercontinental Play-off.
CAF stated that the pairings were determined according to FIFA’s World Rankings as of October, with the highest-ranked team facing the lowest-ranked, and the second-highest playing the second-lowest.
The African play-off winner will join the Six-Team Intercontinental Play-off, scheduled for March 2026 in the Mexican cities of Guadalajara and Monterrey.
The mini-tournament will feature Bolivia, New Caledonia, two teams from Central America, and one from Asia, with two nations ultimately qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
