With Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Ghana already booking their tickets, the CAF region braces for a thrilling October as the final contenders jostle for qualification. The margins are razor-thin, the permutations complex, and the stakes sky-high. Catch all the action live on SuperSport. Here's how the drama unfolds across the continent: Cabo Verde v Eswatini — All Eyes on 13 October Cabo Verde could seal their spot with a win over Eswatini. But even a draw or loss might be enough—if Cameroon stumble against Angola. - Cameroon’s path? Beat Angola and hope Cabo Verde slip. Ivory Coast v Kenya — Elephants on the Brink Ivory Coast are nearly there. A win over Kenya guarantees qualification. But even a draw or narrow loss could suffice, depending on Gabon’s result against Burundi. - Gabon’s hope? Beat Burundi and pray Ivory Coast falter. Ghana became the latest African team to book their place at the 2026 Fifa World Cup, after they defeated Comoros in a Group I qualifier played at the Accra Stadium on Sunday night. Senegal v Mauritania — Lions of Teranga Hold the Cards Senegal qualify with a win. A draw could also do the job—unless Congo DR thrash Sudan by eight goals. - Congo DR’s route? Beat Sudan and hope Senegal slip, or win big if Senegal draw. South Africa v Rwanda and Nigeria v Benin— Three-Way Tussle - Benin, South Africa, and Nigeria are locked in a tense triangle. Benin will clinch qualification if: - They beat Nigeria. - They draw against Nigeria, and South Africa do not beat Rwanda by a margin of three or more goals. - They draw against Nigeria, South Africa beat Rwanda by a margin of two goals, and Benin outscore South Africa. They lose to Nigeria by a one-goal margin other than 1-0 or 2-1, and South Africa fail to defeat Rwanda. South Africa will qualify if: - They beat Rwanda, and Benin lose to Nigeria. - They beat Rwanda by a margin of three or more goals, and Benin draw vs Nigeria. - They beat Rwanda by a margin of two goals, Benin draw vs Nigeria, and South Africa outscore Benin. Nigeria will seal their spot if: - They beat Benin 1-0 or by a margin of two or more goals, and South Africa fail to defeat Rwanda. WHAT’S AT STAKE? With powerhouse nations already through, the next wave of qualifiers will shape the competitive landscape. Expect fireworks, heartbreak, and last-minute heroics as Africa’s finest chase their dreams. HOW AFRICAN TEAMS QUALIFY FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 Step 1- Group stage - Africa's 54 countries are divided into 9 Groups of 6 Teams - Each Team plays home and away against all the Teams in the same Group — all results count. - The Team that finishes first* in each group Qualifies directly to the FIFA World Cup 2026 - The Teams that finish second move to the next step to compare their results. - Teams ranked third (up to) sixth are eliminated Step 2: Comparing the second-placed Teams - There will be 9 second-placed teams; one from each group. - To compare them fairly, the results against the last-placed Team in each Group are not counted. This means only matches against the top five teams in each group are used for comparison. Exception: Group E has only 5 Teams because Eritrea withdrew. - Therefore, for Group E, all results will count as there is no sixth team to exclude. - After this adjustment, the best runners-up* are ranked using the same tie-breaking criteria found in Article 11.5 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Regulations (e.g., points, goal difference, goals scored, etc.).
