Home SPORTS African World Cup Qualifiers: Who's Still in the Running?

African World Cup Qualifiers: Who's Still in the Running?

Read
Victor Osimhen and Rowen Williams
CAF World Cup Qualifiers, teams in contention





African football fans will be glued to their screens as the World Cup qualifiers heat up. With complex calculations determining the top teams, fans will need to keep a close eye on the standings to see if their favorite team remains in contention for a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.


The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification process for Africa has an interesting twist...


African football fans are anxiously waiting to see if their favorite teams will make it to the 2026 World Cup in North America. With the group qualifying program ending soon, the stakes are high. 

Here's what's at play: 

Automatic Qualification: The nine group winners will qualify directly for the World Cup.

Playoff Spots: The four best runners-up from the nine groups will enter a playoff next month to determine one additional African representative for the inter-confidential playoffs.


Several African countries are still in the running for a spot, including:

Cape Verde: Leads Group D and can qualify for their first World Cup with a win in either of their last two matches against Libya or Eswatini.

Madagascar: Sits three points behind Ghana in Group I and needs to win their remaining matches and hope Ghana falters.

Gabon: Trails Ivory Coast by one point in Group C and needs to win both their remaining matches and hope Ivory Coast slip up.

Uganda: Four points behind Algeria in Group G, Uganda's best chance is to win both their remaining matches and hope Somalia causes an upset against Algeria.


Some notable teams that might miss out on automatic qualification but could still make it through the playoffs are:

Cameroon: Will need to win both their remaining matches and hope Cape Verde falters to qualify directly.

Nigeria: Faces tough competition in Group C, but a win in their remaining matches could put them in contention for a playoff spot.

DR Congo: Needs to win their remaining matches and hope Senegal slips up to qualify directly or secure a playoff spot.






The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification process for Africa has an interesting twist. Initially, nine groups were formed with six teams each, but Eritrea's withdrawal before the campaign started left one group with only five teams. This unexpected move complicates the calculation of the four best runners-up from the nine groups. These top four runners-up will qualify for a playoff next month, with the ultimate winner advancing to an intercontinental playoff in March.


Determining the Best Runners-up

The uneven number of teams in each group due to Eritrea's withdrawal poses a challenge in determining the best runners-up.

A special calculation method may be used to account for the difference in the number of teams in each group.

The top four runners-up will compete in the playoff, with the winner earning a spot in the intercontinental playoff.


Key Dates:

  • Playoff: Next month
  • Intercontinental Playoff: March
  • 2026 FIFA World Cup: June-July 2026 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States


The African Football Confederation (CAF) will likely provide further guidance on the calculation method and playoff format. The sole African representative will earn a spot in the World Cup through this playoff process.


To determine the four best runners-up in the World Cup qualifiers, CAF has implemented a unique calculation method for Group E. Since Group E has five teams that played eight qualifiers instead of 10, the points earned by runners-up against the last-placed team in each group will be excluded from the calculation.


The four best runners-up will be determined based on their results against the third, fourth, and fifth-placed teams in their respective groups. This means that any points accumulated against the bottom-placed team will not be considered in the calculation.


Pointers

  • Calculation Method: Points earned against the last-placed team in each group will be excluded.
  • Comparison: Runners-up will be ranked based on their results against the third, fourth, and fifth-placed teams in their groups.
  • Playoff Spots: The four best runners-up will advance to the playoff round to determine one additional African representative for the inter-confidential playoffs.


The penultimate round of World Cup qualifiers is heating up in Africa. With two rounds left to play, only two teams have secured their spots in the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt. These three African powerhouses booked their tickets, with Morocco dominating Group E , Tunisia and Egypt topping Group H.


Confirmed Qualifiers


Morocco: Secured top spot in Group E with 21 points from 7 matches, showcasing their dominance with a flawless record.

Tunisia: Claimed top spot in Group H with 22 points from 8 matches, remaining undefeated with an impressive goal difference of 13:0.

Egypt: Secured World Cup ticket.



On the other end of the spectrum, four teams are set to finish last in their respective groups:


The battle for the remaining spots is intense, with several teams still in contention. The four best runners-up will advance to a playoff round, with the winner earning a spot in the inter-confederation playoffs for a chance to qualify for the World Cup.


The fate of the four best runners-up will be decided on Tuesday when the last group matches conclude. The calculation method, which excludes points earned against the last-placed team in each group, adds an extra layer of complexity. Fans of top African teams like Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria will be keeping a close eye on the standings, as they look to secure a spot in the playoffs and potentially revive their World Cup hopes.


Playoff Hopefuls

Cameroon: Needs to win their remaining matches and hope other results go in their favor to qualify for the playoffs.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Requires a strong finish to their group matches to secure a playoff spot.

Nigeria: Will need to perform well in their remaining matches and rely on other teams to slip up to qualify for the playoffs.


The playoffs will feature the four best runners-up, competing for a chance to represent Africa in the inter-confidential playoffs. The stakes are high, and the competition will be fierce as teams battle for a spot in the 2026 World Cup.
Tags :

No comments:

Leave comment here

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )
Powered by Blogger.