Nigeria will battle Gabon in the semi-finals of the African section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs, after the conclusion of the group stage qualifiers on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles stormed into the last four following a commanding 4–0 win over Benin Republic earlier in the day. Gabon secured their own qualification with a 2–0 victory over Burundi, aided by Ivory Coast’s triumph over Kenya in Group F.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that the mini-tournament, featuring the four best runners-up from the nine qualifying groups, will be hosted in Morocco from November 13 to 16. Alongside Nigeria and Gabon, Cameroon and DR Congo also booked their places after finishing second in their respective groups behind Cape Verde and Senegal.
Nigeria, currently Africa’s highest-ranked team among the semi-finalists, will face the lowest-ranked side, Gabon, when the play-offs begin. The other semi-final will pit Cameroon against DR Congo, setting the stage for what promises to be a fierce battle for Africa’s final World Cup spot.
Both semi-final matches will take place on November 13, with the winners meeting in a one-off final three days later. The overall champion will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026 for a final shot at qualification to the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
CAF said all fixtures will be single-leg knockouts at neutral venues in Morocco. If tied after 90 minutes, extra time and penalties will decide the winner.
With all nine African group winners already through to next year’s finals, the play-offs represent the continent’s last chance to secure an additional ticket to the expanded 48-team tournament.
