The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers has officially concluded. After two years of intense football across the continent, the final list of CAF representatives for the 48-team tournament in North America is now set. From dominant displays by Morocco and Senegal to the dramatic play-off victory of DR Congo, Africa is sending its strongest-ever contingent to the world stage.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers officially concluded their primary group stages on November 18, 2025. This historic qualification process, exclusive to members of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), determined which nations would represent the continent in the first-ever 48 teams FIFA World Cup, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Unlike the 2022 edition, where CAF was allocated only five slots (Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco, and Cameroon), the 2026 expansion has granted Africa a record 9 direct slots. Out of the 54 FIFA-affiliated associations that began the journey in November 2023, nine elite teams—Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Tunisia, and Cabo Verde—have already secured their spots.
As of March 2026, the focus has shifted to the Inter-confederation Play-offs. DR Congo, having won the CAF runners-up play-offs, is currently in the final stages of qualifying for Africa’s potential 10th slot, which would mark a monumental milestone for African football history.
Here are updates of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification process for African Qualifiers below.
2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers
All the ground and Matchday with Date
| 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 | 19–22 March 2025 | |
| Matchday 6 | 23–25 March 2025 | |
| 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 | ||
| Inter-confederation play-offs | 1 teams |
Participated Teams
- Group A: Egypt, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Djibouti
- Group B: Sudan, Senegal, Mauritania, Togo, South Sudan, DR Congo
- Group C: Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda, Benin, Lesotho, Zimbabwe
- Group D: Cape Verde, Cameroon, Angola, Libya, Eswatini, Malawi
- Group E: DR Congo, Ghana, Madagascar, Comoros, Central African Republic, Chad
- Group F: Algeria, Uganda, Mozambique, Gambia, Botswana, Zambia
- Group G: Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Mauritania, Malawi, Senegal
- Group H: Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, Zambia, Republic of Congo, Burundi
- Group I: Morocco, Tanzania, Mali, Mauritania, Libya, Eritrea
African Qualified teams
| S No | Team | Group | Qualified Date | World Cup Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egypt (Qualified) | A | October 8, 2025 | 3 (1934, 1990, 2018) |
| 2 | Senegal (Qualified) | B | October 14, 2025 | 3 (2002, 2018, 2022) |
| 3 | South Africa (Qualified) | B | October 14, 2025 | 3 (1998, 2002, 2010) |
| 4 | Cape Verde (Qualified) | D | October 13, 2025 | Debut |
| 5 | Morocco (Qualified) | E | September 5, 2025 | 6 (1970, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2018, 2022) |
| 6 | Ivory Coast (Qualified) | F | October 14, 2025 | 3 (2006, 2010, 2014) |
| 7 | Algeria (Qualified) | G | October 9, 2025 | 4 (1982, 1986, 2010, 2014) |
| 8 | Tunisia (Qualified) | H | September 5, 2025 | 6 (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022) |
| 9 | Ghana (Qualified) | I | October 12, 2025 | 5 (2006, 2010, 2014, 2022, 2026) |
| 10 | DR Congo (Qualified) | Play-offs | March 31, 2026 | 2 (1974, 2026) |
Who plays whom? Official World Cup 2026 Groups for CAF Teams
| Team | Group | Opponents | Match Highlight |
| Morocco | Group B | England, Japan, South Korea | Morocco vs England (Opening Week) |
| Senegal | Group D | Brazil, Switzerland, Australia | Mane vs Vinicius Jr. Battle |
| Egypt | Group F | USA, Netherlands, Peru | Mo Salah vs Team USA in SoFi Stadium |
| Nigeria | Group G | Spain, Costa Rica, Iran | The Super Eagles return to USA |
| DR Congo | Group K | Canada, Portugal, Uruguay | The Play-off heroes vs Hosts |
CAF Qualifiers First Round draw POT
| POT 1 Morocco (13) Senegal (18) Tunisia (31) Algeria (33) Egypt (34) Nigeria (39) Cameroon (43) Mali (50) Ivory Coast (51) | POT 2 Burkina Faso (55) Ghana (59) South Africa (62) Cape Verde (66) DR Congo (69) Guinea (80) Zambia (84) Gabon (85) Equatorial Guinea (91) |
| POT 3 Uganda (92) Benin (93) Mauritania (99) Kenya (105) Congo (106) Madagascar (107) Guinea-Bissau (111) Namibia (112) Angola (114) | POT 4 Mozambique (117) Gambia (119) Sierra Leone (120) Togo (122) Tanzania (123) Zimbabwe (124) Central African Republic (125) Malawi (126) Libya (127) |
| POT 5 Niger (128) Comoros (130) Sudan (131) Rwanda (139) Burundi (140) Ethiopia (143) Eswatini (146) Botswana (147) Liberia (148) | POT 6 Lesotho (152) South Sudan (168) Mauritius (180) Chad (181) São Tomé and Príncipe (187) Djibouti (193) Seychelles (196) Eritrea (198) Somalia (199) |
2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers Groups and Standings
The 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers Group winners will secure direct qualification for the final World Cup teams, while the four best runners-up will enter playoffs to compete for a spot in the inter-confederation playoffs.
- Fixtures and Results of September African Qualifiers (Matchday 7 and 8)
- Fixtures and Results of October African Qualifiers (Matchday 9 and 10)
Groups Standings
Teams were divided into nine groups, each consisting of six teams, to compete in home-and-away matches.
Group A
The CAF Group A includes Egypt, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, and Djibouti. Egypt won Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers with 26 points in 10 games.
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification– Egypt
- Possible second round Qualification – Burkina Faso
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egypt (Q) | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 2 | +18 | 26 |
| 2 | Burkina Faso (E) | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 8 | +15 | 21 |
| 3 | Sierra Leone (E) | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 15 |
| 4 | Guinea-Bissau (E) | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 10 |
| 5 | Ethiopia (E) | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 14 | -5 | 9 |
| 6 | Djibouti (E) | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 33 | -28 | 1 |
Group B
The CAF group B includes Senegal, DR Congo, Mauritania, Togo, Sudan, and South Sudan. Senegal is qualified from Group B of the 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers, with 24 points in 10 games.
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification– Senegal
- Possible second round Qualification – DR Congo
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Senegal (Q) | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 3 | +19 | 24 |
| 2 | DR Congo | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 6 | +9 | 22 |
| 3 | Sudan (E) | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 13 |
| 4 | Togo (E) | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 8 |
| 5 | Mauritania (E) | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 13 | −9 | 7 |
| 6 | South Sudan (E) | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 19 | −16 | 5 |
Group C
The CAF Group C contains Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Lesotho. South Africa has qualified from Group C in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers, with 18 points in 10 games.
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification– South Africa
- Possible second round Qualification – Nigeria
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa (Q) | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 9 | +6 | 18 |
| 2 | Nigeria (S) | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 8 | +7 | 17 |
| 3 | Benin (E) | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 11 | +1 | 17 |
| 4 | Lesotho (E) | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 12 | −3 | 12 |
| 5 | Rwanda (E) | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 11 |
| 6 | Zimbabwe (E) | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 12 | −7 | 5 |
Group D
The CAF Group D contains Cameroon, Cape Verde, Angola, Libya, Eswatini and Mauritius. Cape Verde is the most game-winning squad in Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers, with 23 points in 10 games.
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification– Cape Verde
- Possible second round Qualification – Cameroon
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Verde (Q) | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 8 | +8 | 23 |
| 2 | Cameroon (S) | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 5 | +12 | 19 |
| 3 | Libya (E) | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 16 |
| 4 | Angola (E) | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 12 |
| 5 | Mauritius (E) | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 17 | −10 | 6 |
| 6 | Eswatini (E) | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 19 | −13 | 3 |
Group E
The CAF Group E contains Morocco, Zambia, Congo, Tanzania, Niger and Eritrea. Morocco is the winner of Group E 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers, with 24 points in 8 games.
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification– Morocco
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morocco (Q) | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 2 | +20 | 24 |
| 2 | Niger (E) | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 10 | +1 | 15 |
| 3 | Tanzania (E) | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 10 |
| 4 | Zambia (E) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 9 |
| 5 | Congo (E) | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 24 | −20 | 1 |
| 6 | Eritrea (E) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group F
The CAF Group F contains the Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, Gambia, Burundi and Seychelles. Ivory Coast is top in Group F 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers, with 26 points in 10 games.
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification– Ivory Coast
- Possible second round Qualification – Gabon
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivory Coast (Q) | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 0 | +25 | 26 |
| 2 | Gabon (S) | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 9 | +13 | 25 |
| 3 | Gambia (E) | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 27 | 18 | +9 | 13 |
| 4 | Kenya (E) | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 14 | +4 | 12 |
| 5 | Burundi (E) | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 10 |
| 6 | Seychelles (E) | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 53 | −51 | 0 |
Group G
The CAF Group G contains Algeria, Guinea, Uganda, Mozambique, Botswana and Somalia. Algeria is the highest point earner in Group G of the 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers, with 25 points in 10 games.
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification– Algeria
- Possible second round Qualification – Uganda
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Algeria (Q) | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 8 | +16 | 25 |
| 2 | Uganda (E) | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 9 | +5 | 18 |
| 3 | Mozambique (E) | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 17 | −3 | 18 |
| 4 | Guinea (E) | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 15 |
| 5 | Botswana (E) | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 16 | −4 | 10 |
| 6 | Somalia (E) | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 20 | −17 | 1 |
Group H
The CAF Group H comprises Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Malawi, Liberia, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Tunisia is the winner of Group H 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers, with 28 points in 10 games.
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification– Tunisia
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tunisia (Q) | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0 | +22 | 28 |
| 2 | Namibia (E) | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 10 | +3 | 15 |
| 3 | Liberia (E) | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 11 | +2 | 15 |
| 4 | Malawi (E) | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 10 | +1 | 13 |
| 5 | Equatorial Guinea (E) | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 15 | −7 | 11 |
| 6 | São Tomé and Príncipe (E) | 10 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 26 | −21 | 3 |
Group I
The CAF Group I contains Mali, Ghana, Madagascar, the Central African Republic, the Comoros and Chad. Ghana tops Group I in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers, earning 25 points from 10 games.
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification– Ghana
- Possible second round Qualification – Madagascar
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ghana (Q) | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 6 | +17 | 25 |
| 2 | Madagascar (E) | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 12 | +5 | 19 |
| 3 | Mali (E) | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 6 | +11 | 18 |
| 4 | Comoros (E) | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 13 | −1 | 15 |
| 5 | Central African Republic (E) | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 24 | −13 | 8 |
| 6 | Chad (E) | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 24 | −19 | 1 |
Ranking List of Runners-up
The top four teams ranked third in the points table after the first round.
- Second round Qualification – Top 4 teams
| Pos | Group | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | Gabon | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 9 | +6 | 19 |
| 2 | B | DR Congo | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 16 |
| 3 | D | Cameroon | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 5 | +9 | 15 |
| 4 | C | Nigeria | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 15 |
| 5 | A | Burkina Faso | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 15 |
| 6 | E | Niger | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 10 | +1 | 15 |
| 7 | I | Madagascar | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 13 |
| 8 | G | Uganda | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 9 | +2 | 12 |
| 9 | H | Namibia | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 10 | −2 | 9 |
CAF Second round
| Pos | Group | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | Gabon | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 9 | +6 | 19 |
| 2 | B | DR Congo | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 16 |
| 3 | D | Cameroon | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 5 | +9 | 15 |
| 4 | C | Nigeria | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 15 |
The second round of the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is currently underway, with teams competing for one of the continent’s 9 direct slots
The four best 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers runners-up teams from the groups will be drawn into the playoffs. And the Winner will qualify for the Inter-confederation playoffs round.
Match Schedule
| Match | Date | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Semifinals 1 | November 13, 2025 | Nigeria 4-1 Gabon |
| Semifinals 2 | November 13, 2025 | Cameroon 0-1 DR Congo |
| Final | November 16, 2025 | Nigeria 1(3)-1(4) DR Congo |
Inter-confederation play-offs
The DR Congo national football team has successfully qualified for the inter-confederation play-off tournament for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In the Inter-confederation play-offs, teams are qualified from the AFC, OFC, CONMEBOL, and CONCACAF. The winning team will secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The 10th Slot Decided: DR Congo Makes History!
After defeating Nigeria in the CAF play-offs in November 2025, DR Congo represented Africa in the FIFA Inter-confederation Play-offs held in March 2026. In a thrilling final match against New Zealand, DR Congo secured a 2-1 victory, officially becoming the 10th African nation to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This marks their first appearance in the finals since 1974 (as Zaire).
The Road to the 10th Slot:
- March 26, 2025: New Caledonia 0-1 Jamaica (Semi-final)
- March 31, 2026: DR Congo 1-0 Jamaica (The Grand Final)
DR Congo beat Jamaica 1-0 after extra time in an intercontinental playoff on Tuesday, securing their first World Cup spot in 52 years.
Top goalscorers
Mohamed Amoura tops the goalscoring charts with 10 goals, while Mohamed Salah closely follows in second place with just one goal less in the Africa FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
| S No | Player Name | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohamed Amoura – Algeria | 10 |
| 2 | Mohamed Salah – Egypt | 9 |
| 3 | Denis Bouanga – Gabon | 8 |
| 4 | Kamory Doumbia – Mali | 8 |
| 5 | Victor Osimhen – Nigeria | 8 |
| 6 | Jordan Ayew – Ghana | 7 |
| 7 | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Gabon | 7 |
| 8 | Musa Barrow – Gambia | 7 |
How many African teams qualify for the World Cup?
2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers: 9 direct slots are available for the final round. On 15 October 2025, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Senegal and the Ivory Coast. In 10th position, DR Congo has secured a playoff victory, earning a spot among the teams of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
How many African teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup final round?
As of now, 10 African teams (Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Senegal, the Ivory Coast and DR Congo) have officially qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
How many African teams qualified for the second round?
The top four teams in the ranking list of runners-up— Nigeria, Gabon, DR Congo, and Cameroon—qualified for the second round of the Africa World Cup Qualifiers.
Which team has played in the CAF Second Round final?
Nigeria vs DR Congo played the final match of the Second Round on November 16, 2025, at Moulay Hassan Stadium, Rabat. Nigeria missed out on the 2026 World Cup after losing 4-3 on penalties to DR Congo in a qualifying play-off.
Which African teams qualified for the Inter-confederation Play-off 2026?
DR Congo has secured a spot in the Inter-confederation Play-off for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The team officially qualified after their win over Jamaica on 31 March 2026.
How many slots did CAF have for 2026?
Africa was allocated 9 direct slots plus 1 inter-confederation play-off slot, all of which have been filled as of March 2026.
Who was the top scorer of the 2026 CAF Qualifiers?
Denis Bouanga of Gabon finished as the top scorer with 10 goals.
