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) |
|---|
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]| 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 | ||
| Matchday 7 | 1–9 September 2025 | |
| Matchday 8 | ||
| Matchday 9 | 6–14 October 2025 | |
| Matchday 10 | ||
| Second round | Semi-finals | 10–18 November 2025 |
| Final |
First round
[edit]Teams were 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]
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 |
|---|---|---|
|
| |
| Pot 4 | Pot 5 | Pot 6 |
|
|
Groups
[edit]Group A
[edit]| Pos | Team | 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 | 6–0 | |
| 2 | Guinea-Bissau
|
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 6 | Possible second round | 1–1 | — | Mar | Sep | 0–0 | Sep | |
| 3 | Burkina Faso
|
4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 5 | Sep | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | Oct '25 | Mar | ||
| 4 | Sierra Leone
|
4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 5 | 0–2 | Mar | Oct '25 | — | Sep | 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 | Oct '25 | 1–1 | — |
Group B
[edit]| Pos | Team | 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 second round | Sep | — | 1–1 | Mar | 4–0 | Oct '25 | |
| 3 | DR Congo
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 7 | Oct '25 | Sep | — | 1–0 | Mar | 2–0 | ||
| 4 | Togo
|
4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | Sep | 0–0 | Oct '25 | — | 1–1 | Mar | ||
| 5 | South Sudan
|
4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | −7 | 2 | 0–3 | Oct '25 | Sep | Oct '25 | — | 0–0 | ||
| 6 | Mauritania
|
4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | −5 | 1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | Mar | Sep | Sep | — |
Group C
[edit]| Pos | Team | 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 second round | Oct '25 | — | 2–1 | Mar | Sep | 3–1 | |
| 3 | Benin
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 7 | 1–0 | Mar | — | Sep | 2–1 | Sep | ||
| 4 | Lesotho
|
4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 5 | 0–1 | Sep | 0–0 | — | Oct '25 | Oct '25 | ||
| 5 | Nigeria
|
4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 3 | Sep | 1–1 | Oct '25 | 1–1 | — | Mar | ||
| 6 | Zimbabwe
|
4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 2 | Sep | Oct '25 | Mar | 0–2 | 1–1 | — |
Group D
[edit]| Pos | Team | 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 | |
| 2 | Libya
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 7 | Possible second round | 1–1 | — | Oct '25 | Mar | 2–1 | Sep | |
| 3 | Cape Verde
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 7 | Sep | 1–0 | — | 0–0 | Mar | Oct '25 | ||
| 4 | Angola
|
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 6 | 1–1 | Sep | Mar | — | Sep | 1–0 | ||
| 5 | Mauritius
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 4 | Oct '25 | Oct '25 | Sep | 0–0 | — | 2–1 | ||
| 6 | Eswatini
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 0 | Mar | 0–1 | 0–2 | Oct '25 | Mar | — |
Group E
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morocco
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 | 9 | 2026 FIFA World Cup | — | Sep | Mar | 2–1 | Oct '25 | ||
| 2 | Niger
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 | Possible second round | Mar | — | 0–1 | 2–1 | Oct '25 | ||
| 3 | Tanzania
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0–2 | Sep | — | Oct '25 | Mar | |||
| 4 | Zambia
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 3 | Sep | Oct '25 | 0–1 | — | 4–2 | |||
| 5 | Congo
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 13 | −11 | 0 | 0–6 | 0–3[a] | Sep | Mar | — | |||
| 6 | Eritrea[b]
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Withdrew | — |
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 | 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 | Oct '25 | Mar | 9–0 | |
| 2 | Gabon
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 9 | Possible second round | Sep | — | 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 | Sep | ||
| 5 | Gambia
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0–2 | Oct '25 | Sep | Mar | — | 5–1 | ||
| 6 | Seychelles
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 22 | −20 | 0 | Oct '25 | Sep | 1–3 | 0–5 | Oct '25 | — |
Group G
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Algeria
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 9 | 2026 FIFA World Cup | — | Mar | Sep | 1–2 | Oct '25 | 3–1 | |
| 2 | Mozambique
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 9 | Possible second round | 0–2 | — | Sep | Oct '25 | Mar | 2–1 | |
| 3 | Botswana
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 6 | Mar | 2–3 | — | 1–0 | Oct '25 | Mar | ||
| 4 | Guinea
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6[a] | Sep | 0–1 | Oct '25 | — | 2–1 | Mar | ||
| 5 | Uganda
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6[a] | 1–2 | Sep | 1–0 | Mar | — | Sep | ||
| 6 | Somalia
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 0 | Oct '25 | Oct '25 | 1–3 | Sep | 0–1 | — |
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
Group H
[edit]| Pos | Team | 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 | Mar | 1–0 | 4–0 | |
| 2 | Namibia
|
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 8 | Possible second round | 0–0 | — | 1–1 | Sep | Mar | Sep | |
| 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 | — | Oct '25 | 3–1 | ||
| 5 | Equatorial Guinea
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 3 | Sep | 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 | — |
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 | 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 second round | Oct '25 | — | 1–0 | Sep | 4–3 | Mar | |
| 3 | Madagascar
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 7 | 2–1 | Mar | — | 0–0 | Sep | Sep | ||
| 4 | Mali
|
4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 5 | Sep | 1–2 | Oct '25 | — | 1–1 | 3–1 | ||
| 5 | Central African Republic
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 4 | Sep | Oct '25 | Mar | Mar | — | 1–0 | ||
| 6 | Chad
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9 | −8 | 0 | 0–2 | Sep | 0–3 | Oct '25 | Oct '25 | — |
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 | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | Gabon
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 9 | Second round |
| 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 |
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 matches will be played.
Bracket
[edit]| Semi-finals | Final | |||||
| November 2025 | ||||||
| November 2025 | ||||||
| November 2025 | ||||||
Semi-finals
[edit]| v | ||
|---|---|---|
| v | ||
|---|---|---|
Final
[edit]| 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
4 goals
3 goals
Below are full goalscorer lists for each group:
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.