By Peter Dansu Nigeria will battle Gabon in the semi-finals of the African section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs, following the con...
By Peter Dansu
Nigeria will battle Gabon in the semi-finals of the African section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs, following the conclusion of the qualifying group matches on Tuesday, report by Punch says.
The Super Eagles sealed their place after a convincing 4–0 victory over Benin Republic earlier in the day. Gabon secured their own ticket by finishing second in Group F, thanks to a 2–0 win against Burundi and Ivory Coast’s emphatic victory over Kenya.
In other results, DR Congo edged Sudan 1–0 to finish second in Group B behind Senegal, while Cameroon joined the list after placing second in Group D behind Cape Verde.
The play-offs, featuring the four best runners-up from the nine African qualifying groups, are scheduled to take place in Morocco from November 13 to 16.
Nigeria, expected to remain the highest-ranked African side among the four when FIFA releases its updated rankings on October 23, will face Gabon, who are the lowest-ranked team in the group. Cameroon and DR Congo will contest the other semi-final.
Both semi-final matches will be played on November 13, with the winners meeting three days later in a one-legged final.
The overall winner of the play-offs will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026 for a chance to qualify for the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
All matches will be single-leg knockouts, and if tied after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time will be played. Should the scores remain level, a penalty shoot-out will decide the winner.
Morocco will host the mini-tournament, which offers Africa another opportunity to secure a place at the expanded 48-team World Cup. All nine group winners have already qualified directly for next year’s finals, while the play-offs will determine if the continent can add one more representative through the intercontinental route.
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