The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff tournament will take place in Rabat, Morocco, from November 13 to 16, 2025. The mini-tournament will decide Africa’s final representative at the global showpiece.
According to CAF’s schedule, the semi-final matches will be held on November 13 at two venues — the El Barid Stadium and the Prince Moulay El Hassan Sports Complex. Nigeria’s Super Eagles will battle Gabon in the opening fixture at 5 p.m., while Cameroon will clash with DR Congo later that night at 8 p.m.
The winners of both semi-finals will meet in the final on November 16 at the Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat. The victor of that game will earn the ticket to represent Africa in the intercontinental playoffs for a spot at the FIFA World Cup.
The playoffs come as the final phase of Africa’s qualification process, following a grueling campaign that saw several top teams fall short. CAF said the centralized tournament format was designed to ensure fairness, neutrality, and high-quality organization.
Nigeria, seeking a return to the World Cup after missing out in 2022, will be under pressure to deliver. With just one slot left for Africa, the Rabat showdown promises to be one of the most competitive fixtures in recent qualifying history.
