Super Eagles to face Gabon in World Cup play-offs as CAF unveils final qualification path

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will battle Gabon in the semi-finals of the African section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs, following the conclusion of the group stage qualifiers on Tuesday.

The Super Eagles booked their place in the decisive play-offs after thrashing Benin Republic 4–0 earlier in the day to secure one of the four best runners-up spots across the nine qualification groups. Gabon also claimed a play-off ticket after finishing second in Group F, courtesy of a 2–0 victory over Burundi and Ivory Coast’s emphatic win over Kenya, which cemented the Elephants’ top spot.

According to the format adopted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the nine group winners from the first qualifying phase have automatically advanced to the 2026 World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. However, Africa has an opportunity to secure a tenth spot through an inter-confederation play-off scheduled for March 2026.

To determine who takes that final shot, CAF introduced a special play-off tournament involving the four best runners-up from the group phase. These teams – based on accumulated points, goal difference, and fair play records – will compete in Morocco from November 13 to 16, 2025.

Under the current FIFA ranking projection to be released on October 23, Nigeria are expected to emerge as the highest-ranked of the four play-off teams and will therefore face the lowest-ranked side, Gabon, in one of the semi-finals. The other semi-final will pit Cameroon against DR Congo, who finished second in their respective groups behind Cape Verde and Senegal.

Both semi-finals are set for November 13, with the winners advancing to a single-leg final on November 16. The victor of that final will represent Africa in the inter-confederation play-offs, which will include teams from Asia, South America, and Oceania competing for the last remaining World Cup slots.

The CAF mini-tournament will be played in Morocco as single-leg knockout fixtures. If matches end in a draw after 90 minutes, extra time and, if necessary, penalty shoot-outs will decide the winners.

This format gives African football an expanded pathway to the World Cup, taking advantage of FIFA’s new 48-team structure, which increases Africa’s guaranteed spots from five to nine, with the possibility of a tenth via the inter-continental route.

So far, the nine African nations that have qualified directly include heavyweights such as Senegal, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Cape Verde, Mali, Tunisia, and South Africa. The play-offs will determine whether Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo, or Gabon will join them, and possibly make history as Africa’s additional representative on the global stage.