2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers: Groups & Schedule

If you’ve been following African football this season, you’ve probably noticed the race for the 2026 World Cup is already heating up. With 54 nations battling for just nine direct spots and a possible tenth via the inter‑continental playoff, every matchday carries the weight of a continent’s ambition.

African teams competing: 54 ·
Groups in first round: 9 ·
World Cup slots for CAF: 9

Six key numbers paint the full structure: 54 teams, 9 groups, 6 teams per group, 9 direct qualification spots, a November 2023 start, and a November 2025 finale.

What are the groups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers?

Overview of the nine groups

• 54 teams were drawn into nine groups of six on 13 July 2023 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (NBC Sports).
• Each group plays a home‑and‑away round‑robin; the winner of each group earns a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup (FIFA).
• Groups are labelled A through I, with teams seeded based on the FIFA World Ranking.

Group A to Group I

• Full group compositions are published on FIFA’s CAF qualifiers hub.
• Notable groups include heavyweights such as Nigeria, Egypt, Senegal, and Cameroon, each placed in separate groups.
• The four best runners‑up across all groups will enter a second‑round playoff path for a chance at the inter‑continental playoff (NBC Sports).

The implication: nine group winners will secure their tickets, while the runners-up face a high-stakes playoff.

What is the current table for the African qualifiers?

How to read the standings

• Standings are sorted by points (win=3, draw=1, loss=0), then goal difference, then goals scored (FIFA).
• Official live tables are maintained on FIFA.com and ESPN.
• BBC Sport also provides regularly updated group tables.

Tie‑breaking rules

• If two or more teams are level on points, head‑to‑head results between them are the first tie‑breaker (FIFA).
• If still tied, goal difference in head‑to‑head matches is used, then goals scored in those matches.

What this means: every match in the group stage matters, especially head-to-head clashes.

What are the upcoming fixtures in the African qualifiers?

Next matchdays

• The March 2025 international window includes matchdays on 20 and 25 March (NBC Sports).
• September 2025 brings matchdays 7 and 8.
• The final group matchdays are scheduled for November 2025.

Key fixtures to watch

• Potential deciders: Nigeria vs. South Africa, Egypt vs. Senegal – both matches could determine group winners.
• All fixtures are listed on FIFA’s scores‑and‑fixtures page.

The catch: these pivotal matches could decide group winners as early as March 2025.

Where can I find recent results for the African qualifiers?

Official sources

• FIFA.com provides confirmed scores immediately after each match.
• BBC Sport posts results alongside short match reports.
• ESPN and NBC Sports also aggregate scores and tables.

Aggregator sites

• Sites like FlashScore and Soccerway offer live‑updating scoreboards for all CAF qualifiers.

The implication: fans can track results in real-time across multiple platforms.

“The CAF qualifiers hub is the place to discover which African nations will qualify for the FIFA World Cup 26,” states FIFA on its official tournament section.

– FIFA

“The African playoff will give four top teams a second chance – the winner then goes to the inter‑continental tournament in March 2026,” confirmed CAF in a statement.

– CAF

Are there any African qualifier games today?

How to check live matches

• Visit FIFA’s live scores page to see today’s schedule.
• BBC Sport’s football section also highlights any African qualifiers happening on the current day.
• ESPN provides a “live now” filter for ongoing matches.

Time zones and broadcast

• Matches are played across diverse African time zones (UTC+0 to UTC+3), so kick‑off times vary.
• Broadcasters differ by region – check local listings on SuperSport (sub‑Saharan Africa) or beIN Sports (North Africa).

The pattern: time zone diversity means kick-off times vary widely, so check local listings.

The expanded allocation of nine direct berths gives African nations their best‑ever chance at World Cup representation, but the competition is correspondingly fierce. Every matchday from March 2025 onward will separate contenders from also‑rans. For the 54 competing federations, the implication is clear: drop points at home and you’re counting on runners‑up math, a playoff in Rabat, and a final inter‑continental hurdle – or you’re watching from the stands.

For a comprehensive breakdown of the qualification format and participating teams, see the CAF World Cup Qualifiers 2026 guide.

Frequently asked questions