Confederation of African Football (CAF) gears up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Image: SABC
(The Post News)– As Africa’s footballing giants gear up for the final push toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that Morocco will host a pivotal CAF playoff tournament in November 2025.
This tournament will decide which African nation will claim the final spot in the intercontinental playoff, where they’ll battle teams from other continental federations for a chance to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. With only one slot available, the stakes are high, and the tension is palpable.
The CAF World Cup qualification process for 2026 features a newly expanded format, which grants Africa nine direct spots in the tournament. The winner of each of the nine qualification groups earns automatic entry into the World Cup.
However, as part of the revamped system, the four best runners-up will still have a chance to compete for the last remaining African spot through a single-leg knockout mini-tournament, which will take place in Morocco. This playoff will feature Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), who earned their places by finishing as the top four runners-up from their qualifying groups.
CAF Playoffs Begin on November 13
The CAF knockout tournament is set to begin on 13 November 2025, with the semi-finals followed by the final on November 16, 2025. The teams will be seeded based on their FIFA World Ranking, which will be released in October 2025.
This means the top-seeded team will face the lowest-ranked of the four, while the other two will battle it out in the second semi-final. Given the unpredictable nature of knockout football, all four teams are capable of surprising each other, making this tournament a thrilling spectacle for African football fans.
Among the four teams, Nigeria is often regarded as the favorite. With a wealth of talent at their disposal, including players like Victor Osimhen and Wilfred Ndidi, Nigeria has consistently been one of Africa’s top sides. Their rich footballing history, coupled with a squad brimming with Premier League and European talent, gives them a slight edge in this tournament.
However, the Cameroon Indomitable Lions, with their fierce competitive spirit and players like Vincent Aboubakar, are also a strong contender. Cameroon has a storied history in international tournaments and thrives in high-pressure situations, making them dangerous opposition for anyone.
While Nigeria and Cameroon appear to be the most likely to secure victory, the unpredictable nature of knockout football means that Gabon and DR Congo cannot be written off. The tournament in Morocco promises to be intense, with all four teams desperately vying for that last chance to make it to the 2026 World Cup.
2026 International Playoffs
The winner of the CAF playoffs will progress to the intercontinental playoffs in March 2026, where they will compete against teams from other continents for one of the final spots in the expanded World Cup. The increased number of spots for the 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams instead of the traditional 32, has given African nations hope, but it also adds extra pressure on the teams in the CAF playoffs, knowing that this is their final opportunity to reach the world’s biggest sporting stage.
African football excitement continues to grow intensively as these four nations try to prove their worth on the global stage; the CAF World Cup playoff tournament is set to be a thrilling spectacle. All eyes will be on Morocco in November 2025 as Africa’s final representatives fight for the right to join the world’s elite teams in the 2026 World Cup.
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