CAF has scheduled a four-team playoff in Morocco to determine Africa’s final qualifier for the 2026 World Cup.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed the schedule and format for the 2026 FIFA World Cup African playoffs, setting the stage for a decisive showdown involving Nigeria and three other contenders.
In a circular to member associations, CAF announced that Morocco, hosts of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, will also stage the playoffs to determine Africa’s final World Cup representative.
The mini-tournament will feature the four best runners-up from the nine qualification groups after Matchday 10. Semi-finals are slated for November 13, 2025, with the final scheduled for November 16. Seeding will be based on the FIFA World Rankings to be published on October 23, 2025.
Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria, Burkina Faso or DR Congo are expected to make up the quartet. “Should any match end in a draw, extra time and, if needed, a penalty shootout will decide the winner,” CAF stated. The playoff winner will proceed to the intercontinental clash in March 2026.