The state of play in CAF World Cup 26 qualifying

2025-08-28

Africa’s national teams will be back in FIFA World Cup 26™ qualifying next month, with Matchdays 7 and 8 upon us, before the final two rounds of fixtures take place in October. With the upcoming encounters promising table-topping thrillers, plenty of twists and turns and unlikely surges up the standings that could unleash more high drama, FIFA takes a deep dive into each group.

Only the winners of each of the nine qualifying groups will progress automatically to the global extravaganza, while the four best runners-up will contest a second round to determine who will fly the flag for Africa in the FIFA Play-Off Tournament™.

Group A

4 September
Guinea-Bissau v Sierra Leone

5 September
Djibouti v Burkina Faso
Egypt v Ethiopia

8 September
Guinea-Bissau v Djibouti

9 September
Burkina Faso v Egypt
Sierra Leone v Ethiopia

Table-topping Egypt are the only Group A side who have played at the World Cup previously and could seal their qualification to a fourth finals by winning at home to Ethiopia and away to Burkina Faso – two sides they beat previously in the campaign. Burkina Faso, though, are riding a three-game unbeaten run and head into their final four matches in second place

As for the situation behind the two front runners, while they may have faltered and now lie one place off the bottom, Guinea-Bissau are still very much in the chase. With 12 points up for grabs across next month and October, the tide could turn in a heartbeat for the Dromedaries, who can lay claim to being the only team to have thrown Egypt off their stride, claiming a point in a 1-1 draw last June. Sierra Leone, whose eight points put them in third, and Ethiopia, who are sitting in fourth on six, share a tally of seven goals scored and conceded and are both also hoping to climb back into contention.

Group B

5 September
South Sudan v DR Congo
Mauritania v Togo
Senegal v Sudan

9 September
DR Congo v Senegal
Mauritania v South Sudan
Togo v Sudan

After a 1-1 draw at the magnificent Stade Abdoulaye Wade last June, DR Congo and Senegal are now preparing to face off in a top-of-the-table tussle. In a group lacking a standout marksman, no two frontmen embody their nations’ ambitions and achievements better than Fiston Mayele, the Congolese centre-forward who tasted CAF Champions League glory last season with Egyptian side Pyramids, and Sadio Mane, the former Liverpool star who now plies his trade alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Saudi outfit Al Nassr.

Tied on points with the Lions of Teranga, who they held to a goalless draw in March, Sudan are refusing to throw in the towel. They do, however, face tough trips to Senegal and Togo next month. With a solitary point separating the group’s top three teams, the head-to-head clashes between them are sure to be decisive.

Group C

5 September
Benin v Zimbabwe
Lesotho v South Africa

6 September
Nigeria v Rwanda

9 September
Zimbabwe v Rwanda
South Africa v Nigeria
Benin v Lesotho

South Africa are firmly in the driving seat in their group, having opened up a buffer over four challengers all bunched within two points of one another, and will have the chance to press home their advantage firstly against Lesotho – who they beat 2-0 in March. After that, Bafana Bafana take on a Nigerian team who have racked up four draws in six matches, including a 1-1 stalemate between the sides last June.

A fierce fight is brewing among the chasing pack, and basement boys Zimbabwe could have a big say in the final group standings as they prepare to travel to third-place Benin and host second-placed Rwanda. Yet no side has more at stake in this international window than Nigeria, with Victor Osimhen and Co set to tackle the top two. Lesotho, who have never reached a World Cup or even the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), are in a similar boat, with ties still to come against two of the top trio.

African qualifying standings

Group D

4 September
Angola v Libya
Mauritius v Cabo Verde
Cameroon v Eswatini

8 September
Libya v Eswatini

9 September
Cabo Verde v Cameroon
Angola v Mauritius

The Cabo Verdeans will be looking to continue their remarkable campaign when they travel to Mauritius, before hosting Cameroon in a first-versus-second bout. Despite their cushion, neither of the pacesetters can afford to rest on their laurels with four rounds of fixtures still to come.

The top two would do well to be wary of potential fightbacks from Libya and Angola, who are set to go head-to-head before facing the two sides propping up the standings in Eswatini and Mauritius, respectively. A couple of wins could enable either side to narrow the gap on the leaders and reignite their qualification hopes, meaning Group D could go down to the wire.

Group E

Group E contains five sides following Eritrea’s withdrawal from FIFA World Cup 26 qualifying in November 2023.

Upcoming matches

5 September
Congo v Tanzania
Morocco v Niger

8 September
Zambia v Marocco

9 September
Tanzania v Niger

Morocco sit comfortably atop their group thanks to their spotless record, which owes much to a prolific attack that has delivered 14 goals and a backline that has been breached only twice. They could become the first African country to qualify for the showpiece event in North America when they face Niger who were, until recently, their closest pursuers. The Ménas now find themselves down in fourth place, level pegging with Zambia and behind Tanzania, the latter of which they travel to after a daunting assignment in Morocco.

While hunting down the Atlas Lions may prove a bridge too far, the Nigeriens remain strong contenders for second spot. Elsewhere, having been suspended for the last two rounds of fixtures, Congo will be determined to salvage some pride and pick up their first points against a Tanzanian team that managed to keep hosts Morocco at bay for an impressive 51 minutes during their most recent outing in March, before ultimately falling 2-0.

Group F

3 September
Seychelles v Gabon

5 September
Kenya v Gambia
Côte d’Ivoire v Burundi

9 September
Kenya v Seychelles
Gabon v Côte d’Ivoire
Gambia v Burundi

The race for first place in this group is still neck and neck between Côte d’Ivoire, whose copybook has only been blotted by a draw in Kenya, and Gabon, whose only slip up came against the Ivorians. The showdown between these two nations could prove to be the defining contest of this international window, with Gabonese goal-getter Denis Bouanga raring to continue his fine form, having scored five times so far in these qualifiers.

Burundi are hot on their heels but must emerge victorious in their two upcoming trips against the Elephants and the Gambia to remain in contention. Then come Kenya and the Gambians, with one win apiece, followed by a Seychelles side who are still marooned on zero points and already out of the running.

Scores and fixtures

Group G

4 September
Algeria v Botswana

5 September
Uganda v Mozambique
Somalia v Guinea

8 September
Mozambique v Botswana
Guinea v Algeria
Uganda v Somalia

As in Group F, two front runners have opened up a healthy lead over the rest of the field. Having been propelled up the table by the exploits of no fewer than ten goalscorers, including five-goal hero Mohamed Amoura, Algeria could clinch their place on the world’s biggest stage as early as next month.

Mozambique, who were thrashed 5-1 by the Fennecs in their last outing in March, are still in with a shot of being one of the best runners-up. In fact, Chiquinho Conde’s charges still harbour ambitions of topping the group – a feat that would earn them a historic maiden World Cup appearance. To be in with a chance, they will need to pick up maximum points against teams that both prevailed in their previous matches: Uganda, who clinched a 1-0 victory over Guinea, and Botswana, who ran out 2-0 victors against bottom side Somalia.

Group H

4 September
São Tomé and Príncipe v Equatorial Guinea
Tunisia v Liberia

5 September
Namibia v Malawi

8 September
Equatorial Guinea v Tunisia
Malawi v Liberia

9 September
Namibia v São Tomé and Príncipe

Unbeaten group leaders Tunisia can mathematically qualify for the World Cup next month. However, the Eagles of Carthage’s fate does not depend solely on the results that they pick up at home to Liberia and on their travels against Equatorial Guinea, both of whom lost ground last time out. It is also worth keeping an eye on Namibia, as they prepare to meet the two sides currently rooted to the foot of the table.

Elsewhere, Liberia are enjoying an impressive qualifying campaign. Although we have to go all the way back to the 2002 CAF Africa Cup of Nations for their last appearance at a major tournament and despite the fact that they are currently languishing down in 144th place in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking, victory away to Tunisia – who edged them out in a narrow 1-0 defeat in March – could well revive their chances.

Group I

4 September
Chad v Ghana
Madagascar v Central African Republic
Mali v Comoros

7 September
Central African Republic v Comoros

8 September
Madagascar v Chad
Ghana v Mali

Despite being the only team in the group with World Cup experience, Ghana found themselves in a tight spot just a few months ago. But following two resounding wins – 5-0 against Chad and 3-0 away to Madagascar – the Black Stars have seized control of the group and their fate is now firmly in their own hands. Triumphs on the road against Chad – who are still chasing their first point – and on their own patch against Mali would give the Ghanaians’ World Cup hopes a further boost.

Meanwhile, Comoros are hoping to rediscover their sensational early campaign form, which yielded a memorable 1-0 victory over Ghana on Matchday 2, secured courtesy of Myziane Maolida’s stunning solo effort. However, they will not be given an easy ride by a Malian side in desperate need of points and a Central African Republic team who will be going all out for victory.

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