Nigeria will play Gabon in the Semi Finals of the FIFA World Cup African Qualifying Play-offs.
— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) October 15, 2025
Cameroon will play DR Congo.
The winners will face each other in the final. The winner will advance to the Intercontinental Play-offs. pic.twitter.com/6h61sYQOEl
The playoff winner won’t qualify directly but will advance to the intercontinental playoff, where six teams from different confederations, Africa, Asia, South America, Oceania, and CONCACAF, will compete for the final two World Cup spots in March 2026.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially outlined the final phase of Africa’s qualification pathway for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, confirming a four-team playoff in Morocco that will decide the continent’s last representative.
After ten intense matchdays across nine qualifying groups, the top team from each group will automatically book their spot in North America. However, for Nigeria, who finished as runners-up in their group, the journey isn’t over yet. The Super Eagles will join three other best second-placed teams in a decisive mini-tournament, with semi-finals scheduled for November 13 and the final on November 16, 2025.
CAF revealed that seeding for the fixtures will depend on the FIFA World Rankings released on October 23, 2025. The likely contenders include Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, and either Burkina Faso or DR Congo.
In this stage, the four lowest-ranked teams will play two knockout games, with the winners advancing to face the two highest-ranked nations. The two ultimate winners will seal qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
For Nigeria, the path remains long and uncertain. Yet after missing out on the 2022 edition, the Super Eagles have another chance to make history, if they can overcome Africa’s best and the world’s toughest in the months ahead.