The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially confirmed the venues, dates, and format for the 2026 FIFA World Cup African playoffs, setting the stage for a high-stakes final showdown for Nigeria and three other nations vying for the continent’s last qualification spot.
In a circular sent to all member associations, CAF announced that Morocco — host of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations— will also host the African playoff tournament for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The mini-tournament will feature the four best runners-up from the nine qualification groups after Matchday 10. According to the schedule, the semi-final matches will be played on November 13, 2025, with the final set for November 16, 2025.
CAF stated that the October 2025 FIFA World Rankings, to be released on October 23, will determine seeding for the playoff draw. The top-ranked runner-up will face the fourth-ranked team, while the second and third-ranked teamswill meet in the other semi-final.
Currently, the four runners-up expected to contest the playoff include Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, or DR Congo.
Matches tied at the end of regulation will go to extra time, and if necessary, a penalty shootout will decide the winner. Each team will be allowed five substitutions, with a sixth permitted in extra time.
The winner of the Moroccan playoff tournament will advance to the intercontinental playoff in March 2026, where they will compete against teams from Asia, South America, Oceania, and Concacaf for Africa’s 10th and final ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria, having secured their playoff spot with a 4–0 win over Benin on the final day of qualifiers, will now await the October FIFA rankings and the playoff draw to determine their potential opponents and path in the decisive race to Qatar 2026.
