Nigeria will face 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 secured their spot after a dominant 4–0 win over Benin, while Gabon sealed second place in Group F with a 2–0 victory against Burundi, helped by Ivory Coast’s win over Kenya to top the group.
DR Congo also advanced after a narrow 1–0 victory over Sudan to finish second in Group B behind Senegal, while Cameroon claimed the remaining slot by finishing runners-up in Group D behind Cape Verde.
The play-offs, featuring the four best runners-up from the nine African qualifying groups, will take place in Morocco from November 13 to 16. Nigeria, expected to remain the highest-ranked team among the four when FIFA updates its rankings on October 23, will meet the lowest-ranked side, Gabon.
Cameroon and DR Congo will contest the other semi-final, with both matches scheduled for November 13. The winners will clash three days later in a single-leg final.
The overall winner will move on to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026, where they’ll compete for a spot at the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
All games will be single-leg knockouts at a venue to be confirmed by CAF. If tied after 90 minutes, extra time and, if needed, penalties will determine the winner.
Morocco will host the mini-tournament, which offers Africa an extra chance to qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup.
All nine African group winners have already qualified directly for the 2026 finals, while these play-offs will decide whether the continent gains one more representative via the inter-continental route.
