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(Top) 1 Format 2 Schedule 3 First round 3.1 Draw 3.2 Groups 3.2.1 Group A 3.2.2 Group B 3.2.3 Group C 3.2.4 Group D 3.2.5 Group E 3.2.6 Group F 3.2.7 Group G 3.2.8 Group H 3.2.9 Group I 3.3 Ranking of runners-up 4 Second round 4.1 Bracket 4.2 Semi-finals 4.3 Final 5 Inter-confederation play-offs 6 Top goalscorers 7 References

2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)

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2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)
Tournament details
Dates	15 November 2023 – 18 November 2025
Teams	53 (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Matches played	103
Goals scored	243 (2.36 per match)
Attendance	835,446 (8,111 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Mohamed Salah Trézéguet (5 goals each)
← 2022 2030 → All statistics correct as of 11 June 2024.

Qualification for championships (CAF)
FIFA World Cup 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 2030
Africa Cup of Nations 1962 1963 1965 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025
v t e

The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) is the African section of the qualification tournament for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. A total of nine slots in the final tournament and one inter-confederation play-off slot are reserved for CAF teams.^[1]

Format[edit]

Due to nine CAF teams now directly qualifying instead of five, the CAF Executive Committee announced a new qualification format on 19 May 2023. Teams were drawn into nine groups of six teams. The winner of each group will directly qualify to the World Cup, while the four best group runners-up will participate in play-offs to determine which team will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.^[2]^[3]

Group stage: Nine groups of six teams will play in a home-and-away round-robin matches. Group winners will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Play-off stage: The four best group runners-up will be drawn into play-offs to determine the CAF representative at the inter-confederation play-offs.

Schedule[edit]

2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
Round	Matchday	Dates
First round	Matchday 1	15–18 November 2023
	Matchday 2	19–21 November 2023
	Matchday 3	5–8 June 2024
	Matchday 4	9–11 June 2024
	Matchday 5	17–25 March 2025
	Matchday 6	17–25 March 2025
	Matchday 7	1–9 September 2025
	Matchday 8	1–9 September 2025
	Matchday 9	6–14 October 2025
	Matchday 10	6–14 October 2025
Second round	Semi-finals	10–18 November 2025
Second round	Final	10–18 November 2025

First round[edit]

Teams have been drawn into nine groups of six teams and will play home-and-away round robin matches from November 2023 to October 2025. The winners of each group will qualify directly to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the four best group runners-up will advance to a play-off to determine which team will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.

Draw[edit]

The draw was held on 13 July 2023 at 15:00 GMT (UTC±0) in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.^[4]^[5] All 54 FIFA-affiliated football associations from CAF entered qualification, however Eritrea withdrew before matches began.^[6]^[7]

The draw pots were announced on 30 June (numbers in parentheses indicate FIFA Men's World Ranking at the time of the draw):^[8]^[9]

CAF qualification first round draw pots
Pot 1	Pot 2	Pot 3
Morocco (13) Senegal (18) Tunisia (31) Algeria (33) Egypt (34) Nigeria (39) Cameroon (43) Mali (50) Ivory Coast (51)	Burkina Faso (55) Ghana (59) South Africa (62) Cape Verde (66) DR Congo (69) Guinea (80) Zambia (84) Gabon (85) Equatorial Guinea (91)	Uganda (92) Benin (93) Mauritania (99) Kenya (105) Congo (106) Madagascar (107) Guinea-Bissau (111) Namibia (112) Angola (114)
Pot 4	Pot 5	Pot 6
Mozambique (117) Gambia (119) Sierra Leone (120) Togo (122) Tanzania (123) Zimbabwe (124) Central African Republic (125) Malawi (126) Libya (127)	Niger (128) Comoros (130) Sudan (131) Rwanda (139) Burundi (140) Ethiopia (143) Eswatini (146) Botswana (147) Liberia (148)	Lesotho (152) South Sudan (168) Mauritius (180) Chad (181) São Tomé and Príncipe (187) Djibouti (193) Seychelles (196) ~~Eritrea (198)~~ (Withdrew) Somalia (199)

Groups[edit]

Group A[edit]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Egypt	4	3	1	0	11	2	+9	10	2026 FIFA World Cup	—	Oct '25	2–1	Mar	Sep '25	6–0
2	Guinea-Bissau	4	1	3	0	3	2	+1	6	Possible play-off stage	1–1	—	Mar	Sep '25	0–0	Sep '25
3	Burkina Faso	4	1	2	1	7	5	+2	5		Sep '25	1–1	—	2–2	Oct '25	Mar
4	Sierra Leone	4	1	2	1	4	5	−1	5		0–2	Mar	Oct '25	—	Sep '25	2–1
5	Ethiopia	4	0	3	1	1	4	−3	3		Mar	Oct '25	0–3	0–0	—	Mar
6	Djibouti	4	0	1	3	2	10	−8	1		Oct '25	0–1	Sep '25	Oct '25	1–1	—

Updated to match(es) played on 10 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Group B[edit]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Sudan	4	3	1	0	7	1	+6	10	2026 FIFA World Cup	—	Mar	1–0	1–1	Mar	Oct '25
2	Senegal	4	2	2	0	6	1	+5	8	Possible play-off stage	Sep '25	—	1–1	Mar	4–0	Oct '25
3	DR Congo	4	2	1	1	4	2	+2	7		Oct '25	Sep '25	—	1–0	Mar	2–0
4	Togo	4	0	3	1	2	3	−1	3		Sep '25	0–0	Oct '25	—	1–1	Mar
5	South Sudan	4	0	2	2	1	8	−7	2		0–3	Oct '25	Sep '25	Oct '25	—	0–0
6	Mauritania	4	0	1	3	0	5	−5	1		0–2	0–1	Mar	Sep '25	Sep '25	—

Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Group C[edit]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Rwanda	4	2	1	1	3	1	+2	7	2026 FIFA World Cup	—	2–0	Oct '25	Mar	Mar	0–0
2	South Africa	4	2	1	1	6	5	+1	7	Possible play-off stage	Oct '25	—	2–1	Mar	Sep '25	3–1
3	Benin	4	2	1	1	4	3	+1	7		1–0	Mar	—	Sep '25	2–1	Sep '25
4	Lesotho	4	1	2	1	3	2	+1	5		0–1	Sep '25	0–0	—	Oct '25	Oct '25
5	Nigeria	4	0	3	1	4	5	−1	3		Sep '25	1–1	Oct '25	1–1	—	Mar
6	Zimbabwe	4	0	2	2	2	6	−4	2		Sep '25	Oct '25	Mar	0–2	1–1	—

Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Group D[edit]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Cameroon	4	2	2	0	9	3	+6	8	2026 FIFA World Cup	—	Mar	4–1	Oct '25	3–0	Sep '25
2	Libya	4	2	1	1	4	3	+1	7	Possible play-off stage	1–1	—	Oct '25	Mar	2–1	Sep '25
3	Cape Verde	4	2	1	1	4	4	0	7		Sep '25	1–0	—	0–0	Mar	Oct '25
4	Angola	4	1	3	0	2	1	+1	6		1–1	Sep '25	Mar	—	Sep '25	1–0
5	Mauritius	4	1	1	2	3	6	−3	4		Oct '25	Oct '25	Sep '25	0–0	—	2–1
6	Eswatini	4	0	0	4	1	6	−5	0		Mar	0–1	0–2	Oct '25	Mar	—

Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Group E[edit]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Morocco	3	3	0	10	1	+9	9	2026 FIFA World Cup	—	Sep '25	Mar	2–1	Oct '25	~~Canc.~~
2	Niger	3	2	1	5	2	+3	6	Possible play-off stage	Mar	—	0–1	2–1	Oct '25	~~Canc.~~
3	Tanzania	3	2	1	2	2	0	6		0–2	Sep '25	—	Oct '25	Mar	~~Canc.~~
4	Zambia	4	1	3	6	7	−1	3		Sep '25	Oct '25	0–1	—	4–2	~~Canc.~~
5	Congo	3	0	3	2	13	−11	0		0–6	0–3^[a]	Sep '25	Mar	—	~~Canc.~~
6	Eritrea^[b]	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Withdrew	~~Canc.~~	~~Canc.~~	~~Canc.~~	~~Canc.~~	~~Canc.~~	—

Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:

^ Niger were awarded a 3–0 victory by forfeit after Congo refused to travel to DR Congo for their home match on 6 June, insisting that they play in Brazzaville.^[10]

^ Eritrea withdrew before the first matches were played.^[6]

Group F[edit]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Ivory Coast	4	3	1	0	12	0	+12	10	2026 FIFA World Cup	—	1–0	Sep '25	Oct '25	Mar	9–0
2	Gabon	4	3	0	1	7	5	+2	9	Possible play-off stage	Sep '25	—	Oct '25	2–1	3–2	Mar
3	Burundi	4	2	1	1	8	6	+2	7		Mar	1–2	—	Oct '25	3–2	Mar
4	Kenya	4	1	2	1	7	3	+4	5		0–0	Mar	1–1	—	Sep '25	Sep '25
5	Gambia	4	1	0	3	9	9	0	3		0–2	Oct '25	Sep '25	Mar	—	5–1
6	Seychelles	4	0	0	4	2	22	−20	0		Oct '25	Sep '25	1–3	0–5	Oct '25	—

Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Group G[edit]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Algeria	4	3	1	8	4	+4	9	2026 FIFA World Cup	—	Mar	Sep '25	1–2	Oct '25	3–1
2	Mozambique	4	3	1	6	5	+1	9	Possible play-off stage	0–2	—	Sep '25	Oct '25	Mar	2–1
3	Botswana	4	2	2	6	5	+1	6		Mar	2–3	—	1–0	Oct '25	Mar
4	Guinea	4	2	2	4	4	0	6^[a]		Sep '25	0–1	Oct '25	—	2–1	Mar
5	Uganda	4	2	2	4	4	0	6^[a]		1–2	Sep '25	1–0	Mar	—	Sep '25
6	Somalia	4	0	4	3	9	−6	0		Oct '25	Oct '25	1–3	Sep '25	0–1	—

Updated to match(es) played on 10 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:

^ ^a ^b Head-to-head points: Guinea 3, Uganda 0.

Group H[edit]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Tunisia	4	3	1	0	6	0	+6	10	2026 FIFA World Cup	—	Oct '25	Sep '25	Mar	1–0	4–0
2	Namibia	4	2	2	0	6	1	+5	8	Possible play-off stage	0–0	—	1–1	Sep '25	Mar	Sep '25
3	Liberia	4	2	1	1	5	2	+3	7		Mar	Oct '25	—	0–1	3–0^[a]	Mar
4	Malawi	4	2	0	2	4	3	+1	6		0–1	Mar	Sep '25	—	Oct '25	3–1
5	Equatorial Guinea	4	1	0	3	1	7	−6	3		Sep '25	0–3^[a]	Oct '25	1–0	—	Mar
6	São Tomé and Príncipe	4	0	0	4	1	10	−9	0		Oct '25	0–2	0–1	Oct '25	Sep '25	—

Updated to match(es) played on 10 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:

^ ^a ^b Equatorial Guinea forfeited two matches for fielding an ineligible player, Emilio Nsue.^[11] The original results were Equatorial Guinea 1–0 Namibia and Liberia 0–1 Equatorial Guinea.

Group I[edit]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Comoros	4	3	0	1	8	4	+4	9	2026 FIFA World Cup	—	1–0	Oct '25	Mar	4–2	Mar
2	Ghana	4	3	0	1	7	5	+2	9	Possible play-off stage	Oct '25	—	1–0	Sep '25	4–3	Mar
3	Madagascar	4	2	1	1	5	2	+3	7		2–1	Mar	—	0–0	Sep '25	Sep '25
4	Mali	4	1	2	1	5	4	+1	5		Sep '25	1–2	Oct '25	—	1–1	3–1
5	Central African Republic	4	1	1	2	7	9	−2	4		Sep '25	Oct '25	Mar	Mar	—	1–0
6	Chad	4	0	0	4	1	9	−8	0		0–2	Sep '25	0–3	Oct '25	Oct '25	—

Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Ranking of runners-up[edit]

Neither CAF nor FIFA have made an official announcement on how Eritrea's withdrawal will affect the rankings of the group runners-up.

Pos	Grp	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	F	Gabon	4	3	0	1	7	5	+2	9	Play-off stage
2	I	Ghana	4	3	0	1	7	5	+2	9
3	G	Mozambique	4	3	0	1	6	5	+1	9
4	H	Namibia	4	2	2	0	6	1	+5	8
5	B	Senegal	4	2	2	0	6	1	+5	8
6	C	South Africa	4	2	1	1	6	5	+1	7
7	D	Libya	4	2	1	1	4	3	+1	7
8	E	Niger	3	2	0	1	5	2	+3	6
9	A	Guinea-Bissau	4	1	3	0	3	2	+1	6

Updated to match(es) played on 11 June 2024. Source: FIFA

Second round[edit]

The four best group runners-up will be drawn into play-offs to determine the sole CAF representative at the inter-confederation play-offs. A total of three games will be played.

Bracket[edit]

	Semi-finals				Final

	November 2025 (2025-11)


					November 2025 (2025-11)


	November 2025 (2025-11)

Semi-finals[edit]

November 2025

	v

November 2025

	v

Final[edit]

November 2025

	v

Inter-confederation play-offs[edit]

The play-off winner will join one team each from AFC, CONMEBOL and OFC and two from CONCACAF in the inter-confederation play-offs. The teams will be ranked according to the FIFA Men's World Ranking, with the four lowest-ranked teams playing in two single-elimination matches. The winners will meet the two highest-ranked teams in another set of single-elimination matches, with the winners of these matches qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.^[12]

Top goalscorers[edit]

There have been 243 goals scored in 103 matches, for an average of 2.36 goals per match (as of 11 June 2024).

5 goals

Mohamed Salah

Trézéguet

4 goals

Jordan Ayew

3 goals

Sudi Abdallah

Below are full goalscorer lists for each group:

Group A

References[edit]

^ "Current allocation of FIFA World Cup confederation slots maintained". FIFA. 30 May 2015. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015.

^ "CAF Executive Committee approves FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers calendar and announces TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Côte d'Ivoire 2023 Final Draw date". cafonline. CAF. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

^ "CAF reveals new format for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers". cafonline. CAF. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.

^ Olsson, Andrew (4 July 2023). "Learn all about 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying in the CAF region and the seeds". Pan-Africa Football. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.

^ "FIFA World Cup 2026 African Qualifiers Official Draw on 13 July". cafonline. CAF. 11 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.

^ ^a ^b "Eritrea Pull Out Of 2026 World Cup Qualifier". Dehai News. Dehai News. Retrieved 9 November 2023.

^ "Statement on FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary competition". CAF. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.

^ Inyang, Ifreke (30 June 2023). "FIFA puts Super Eagles in Pot 1 as race to 2026 World Cup begins". dailypost.ng. Daily Post. Retrieved 30 June 2023.

^ "FIFA World Cup 2026: African preliminary qualifiers draw officially conducted". CAF. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.

^ "FIFA awards win to Niger after Congo no-show in World Cup qualifier". The Straits Times. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.

^ Dunbar, Graham (24 May 2024). "Equatorial Guinea must default wins in World Cup qualifying over same ineligible player as in 2013". apnews.com. Associated Press. Retrieved 24 May 2024.

^ "Bureau of the Council recommends slot allocation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup". FIFA. 30 March 2017. Archived from the original on 19 June 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2023.

v t e 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
AFC	First round Second round Third round Fourth round Fifth round (play-off)
CAF	First round Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F Group G Group H Group I Second round (play-offs)
CONCACAF	First round Second round Third round
CONMEBOL	Round robin
OFC	First round Second round Third round
UEFA	First round Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F Group G Group H Group I Group J Group K Group L Second round (play-offs) related: Nations League
Play-offs	Inter-confederation play-offs

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