2026 World Cup Qualifiers (Africa) : Four countries will play in the play-offs

Following the closing of the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches on Tuesday, nine countries secured their places in the World Cup. However, four other countries will play in the play-offs.

We now know the African countries qualified for the 2026 World Cup;

They are Morocco (Group E), Tunisia (Group H), Egypt (Group A), Algeria (Group G), Ghana (Group I), Cape Verde (Group D), Ivory Coast (Group F), Senegal (Group B), and South Africa.

The four best runners-up (Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria, and the DRC) will compete in the play-offs, and the winner will earn the opportunity to be the tenth African representative in a final intercontinental playoff next March.

The question is, how will the play-offs be played ?

In Morocco, the play-offs will be held as a knockout tournament on neutral ground. The semi-finals will take place on November 13th, followed by the final on November 16th. The winner will then play in the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament next March.

After these four African teams qualify, they will be separated, and the winner will then have to play in an intercontinental knockout play-off in March 2026. Two teams from Central and North America, one each from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America will participate.