Due to nine CAF teams now directly qualifying instead of five, the CAF Executive Committee announced a new qualification format on 19 May 2023. Teams will be drawn into nine groups of six teams. The winner of each group will directly qualify to the World Cup, while the four best group runners-up will participate in play-offs to determine which team will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.
THE FRONT RUNNERS (IMHO): A - Egypt; B - wide open; C - Nigeria and RSA; D - Cameroon; E - Morocco; F - Cote D'Ivore; G - Algeria; H - Tunisia; I - Ghana.
The CAF 2nd place play-off winner will join one team each from AFC, CONMEBOL and OFC and two from CONCACAF in the inter-confederation play-offs. The teams will be ranked according to the FIFA Men's World Ranking, with the four lowest-ranked teams playing in two single-elimination matches. The winners will meet the two highest-ranked teams in another set of single-elimination matches, with the winners of these matches qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
THE 10TH TEAM FROM AFRICA Second-placed teams (maybe): A - Burkina Faso B - DR Congo C - RSA D - Cape Verde E - Zambia F - Gabon G - Guinea H - Equatorial Guinea I - Ghana The semi-finals and finals will be played in November 2025. A Total of three games will be played. 2nd Placed clubs will be ranked using the FIFA Ranking System. The clubs ranked #3 and #4 will play clubs #1 and #2. The winners play each other in the finals. The playoff winner goes to the Intercontinental Playoffs as the CAF representative.
FIFA World Rankings, African Zone (CAF) 2023/2024 The Confederation of African Football (CAF, /ˈkæf/; French: Confédération Africaine de Football; Arabic: الإتحاد الأفريقي لكرة القدم) is the administrative and controlling body for African association football. CAF represents the national football associations of Africa, runs continental, national, and club competitions, and controls the prize money, regulations and media rights to those competitions. CAF is the biggest of six continental confederations of FIFA. CAF has been given 5 slots out of the 32 available since the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, this increased to 6 in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, to include the hosts. The number of places returned to 5 for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. http://www.cavpo.com/2016/10/FIFA.World.Rankings.Africa.CAF.html
Will CAF send any debutants to the 2026 World Cup? If you think so please visit the following thread and vote for the team of your choice. Thanks. https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/t...-at-the-2026-world-cup.2126983/#post-41597440
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification: winners of each group are AQ Group A- Egypt Group B - Sudan Group C - Rwanda Group D - Cameroon Group E - Morocco Group F - Ivory Coast Group G - Algeria Group H - Tunisia Group I - Comoros
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification: 2nd place winners of each group are eligible for play-in tournament for one of the inter-confederation spots. The top four in rankings will playoff for the CAF spot in the Inter-confederation play-offs. Second round (top four) 1 F Gabon 4 3 0 1 7 5 +2 9 2 I Ghana 4 3 0 1 7 5 +2 9 3 G Mozambique 4 3 0 1 6 5 +1 9 4 H Namibia 4 2 2 0 6 1 +5 8 5 B Senegal 4 2 2 0 6 1 +5 8 6 C South Africa 4 2 1 1 6 5 +1 7 7 D Libya 4 2 1 1 4 3 +1 7 8 E Niger 3 2 0 1 5 2 +3 6 9 A Guinea-Bissau 4 1 3 0 3 2 +1 6 . Inter-confederation play-offs The CAF play-off winner will join one team each from AFC, CONMEBOL and OFC and two from CONCACAF in the inter-confederation play-offs. The teams will be ranked according to the FIFA Men's World Ranking, with the four lowest-ranked teams playing in two single-elimination matches. The winners will meet the two highest-ranked teams in another set of single-elimination matches, with the winners of these matches qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification: frontrunners of each group for the AQ as of 3/25/25 Group A - Egypt 16 pts Group B - DR Congo 13pts Group C - RSA 13 pts Group D - Cape Verde 13 pts Group E - Morocco 15 pts Group F - Ivory Coast 16 pts Group G - Algeria 15 pts Group H - Tunisia 15 pts Group I - Ghana 15 pts
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification: 2nd place of each group for the AQ as of 3/25/25 Group A - Burkina Faso - 11 pts Group B - Senegal - 12 pts Group C - Rwanda - 8 pts. Group D - Cameroon - 12 pts Group E - Niger - 6 pts Group F - Gabon - 15 pts Group G - Mozambique - 12 pts Group H - Namibia 12 pts. Group I - Comoros - 12 pts Still very disappointed showing by Mali and Nigeria maybe too late to catch the leaders. RSA has caught fire in is now leading it's group.