Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo DR, and Gabon are the top runners-up in the CAF qualifiers and will compete in the African play-offs in November 2025. The winner advances to the FIFA Play-Off Tournament in March 2026.
The CAF qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded on October 14, with nine African teams qualifying directly. One more team will have a chance in the FIFA Play-Off Tournament.
To reach the FIFA Play-Off Tournament in March 2026, Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo DR, and Gabon will play in a continental play-off during the international window in November 2025.
The African play-offs will happen in Morocco, with the exact stadiums to be announced later. The matches will follow a knockout format, with semi-finals and a final.
The semi-finals will occur on Thursday, November 13, and the final will take place on Sunday, November 16.
How Teams 1 to 4 were determined
Teams 1, 2, 3 and 4 were determined according to the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking published on 17 October.
Team 1: the highest ranked team in the FIFA ranking – Nigeria (41) Team 2: the second highest ranked team in the FIFA ranking – Cameroon (54) Team 3: the third highest ranked team in the FIFA ranking – Congo DR (60) Team 4: the fourth highest ranked team in the FIFA ranking – Gabon (77)
