Trending 
Nigeria will face Gabon, while Cameroon will take on the Democratic Republic of Congo in next month’s African World Cup playoff semi-finals, according to the latest FIFA rankings released on Friday.
The four teams secured their spots as the best runners-up from the nine African qualifying groups, setting the stage for a decisive playoff round that could see Africa gain an additional slot at next year’s World Cup.
The winners of these semi-finals will advance to an intercontinental playoff tournament in March, where the final two places for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be determined. The global tournament will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Under the playoff format, the highest-ranked African team in the latest FIFA rankings is paired with the lowest-ranked side, while the second and third-ranked teams meet in the other semi-final.
FIFA’s early release of the October 23 rankings confirmed that Nigeria, ranked 41st in the world, will face Gabon, which is ranked 77th.
Meanwhile, Cameroon, sitting at 54th, will play the Democratic Republic of Congo, which occupy 60th place.
The semi-final matches are scheduled for November 13, followed by the decisive playoff final three days later. The overall winners will progress to the intercontinental stage, keeping their World Cup hopes alive.
Morocco will host the playoffs, although specific venues have yet to be announced. The North African nation, which reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, continues to play a central role in regional football development.
The group stage of the African qualifiers concluded earlier this week, with all group winners automatically qualifying for next year’s tournament.
As the continent’s attention now shifts to the playoffs, anticipation is growing among fans eager to see which nations will join Africa’s elite on football’s biggest stage.
