Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face Gabon in the semi-finals of the African section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs, following the conclusion of the CAF qualifying group stage on Tuesday.
The three-time African champions stormed into the play-offs after a commanding 4–0 win over Benin Republic, while Gabon sealed their spot with a 2–0 victory against Burundi, coupled with Ivory Coast’s defeat of Kenya to top Group F.
The play-offs will feature the four best runners-up from the nine qualifying groups and are scheduled to take place in Morocco from November 13 to 16, 2025.
Nigeria, expected to remain the highest-ranked African team among the quartet when FIFA releases its next global rankings on October 23, will face Gabon, the lowest-ranked side in the lineup. The other semi-final will see Cameroon square off against DR Congo.
Both semi-finals will be played on November 13, with the winners meeting in a single-leg final on November 16. The overall champion will progress to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026, where they will battle for a place at the FIFA World Cup to be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
CAF confirmed that all fixtures will be single-leg knockouts, and if tied after 90 minutes, extra time and penalties will decide the winner. The matches will be staged in a Moroccan venue to be announced later.
Africa’s nine group winners have already secured direct qualification for the expanded 48-team tournament, while this play-off mini-tournament offers the continent one more potential ticket to the world’s biggest football stage.
