Nigeria’s Super Eagles will square off against Gabon in the semi-finals of the African zone play-offs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following the conclusion of the group stage on Tuesday.
The three-time African champions stormed into the play-offs with an emphatic 4–0 thrashing of Benin Republic, sealing second place in their qualifying group. Gabon also booked their spot after a 2–0 win over Burundi, aided by Ivory Coast’s victory against Kenya, which left the Panthers in second place in Group F.
Elsewhere, DR Congo edged Sudan 1–0 to finish runners-up to Senegal in Group B, while Cameroon clinched second place in Group D behind Cape Verde, rounding out the four best runners-up heading to the play-offs.
The mini-tournament will be held in Morocco from November 13 to 16, featuring Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, and DR Congo. The format will see the two semi-final winners face off in a single-leg final for a ticket to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026, where one African team will have a final shot at qualifying for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
According to the seeding arrangement, Nigeria—projected to remain Africa’s highest-ranked team among the four when FIFA releases its updated rankings on October 23—will face Gabon, the lowest-ranked side of the quartet. Cameroon and DR Congo will meet in the other semi-final.
Both semi-finals are scheduled for November 13, with the final taking place three days later. All matches will be single-leg encounters, with extra time and penalties to decide the outcome if necessary.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is expected to confirm the host cities and venues in the coming days.
While Africa’s nine group winners have already secured direct qualification for next year’s expanded 48-team World Cup, the play-offs offer the continent one more pathway to add an extra representative via the inter-continental route.
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