The stage is now set as Super Eagles of Nigeria will take on Les Panthères of Gabon in the semi-finals of the African section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs, following the conclusion of the qualifying group matches on Tuesday,
.The Super Eagles solidified their position with a 4–0 triumph over Benin earlier on Tuesday, as Gabon confirmed their second-place finish in Group F by defeating Burundi 2–0.
DR Congo also sealed their qualification with a narrow 1–0 win over Sudan to finish runners-up in Group B behind Senegal, with Cameroon joining them after placing second in Group D behind Cape Verde.
The play-offs, comprising the four best runners-up from the nine African qualifying groups, are scheduled to be held in Morocco from November 13 to 16. Nigeria, expected to maintain its status as the highest-ranked African side among the four when FIFA releases its updated rankings on October 23, will play against the lowest-ranked team, Gabon. The other semi-final match will be between Cameroon and DR Congo.
Both semi-finals will be played on November 13, with the winners meeting three days later in a single-leg final.
The overall winner will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026 for a chance to qualify for the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The matches will be played as single-leg knockouts in a venue to be determined by CAF later.
If tied after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time will follow, and if the scores remain level, a penalty shoot-out will decide the winner.
Morocco will host the mini-tournament, which gives Africa an additional opportunity to secure a place at the expanded 48-team World Cup.
