Morocco has been officially selected by CAF to host the African playoff mini-tournament for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The playoff will feature four of Africa’s best runners-up competing in two semi-finals on November 13, followed by a final on November 16. The winner from Morocco will move on to face a team from another continent in March 2026 for the chance to secure a place in the expanded 48-team World Cup.
The draw and seeding will depend on the FIFA rankings published October 23. In case of draws, the matches will go to extra time and, if still tied, to penalties.
The top-ranked team will be matched against the fourth-ranked side, while the second and third ranked teams will face off in the other semi-final.
A Victor Osimhen hat-trick and a sensational pile-driver by substitute Frank Onyeka that ensured a 4-0 win over Benin Republic in Uyo on Tuesday evening was enough to send Nigeria to the Four-Team CAF Playoff Tournament for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
The winner in Morocco will proceed to the Six-Team Intercontinental Playoff, scheduled for the Mexican cities of Guadalaja and Monterrey in March next year, where two teams will emerge and qualify for the finals in USA, Canada and Mexico.
The winner from the African playoff will be joined by Bolivia, New Caledonia and two teams from Central America, and one from Asia.
