Football: African 2026 World Cup qualifying fixtures

Sept 1-9

Matchday seven

Djibouti v Burkina Faso, Egypt v Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau v Sierra Leone, Mauritania v Togo, South Sudan v Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal v Sudan, Benin v Zimbabwe, Lesotho v South Africa, Nigeria v Rwanda, Angola v Libya, Cameroon v Eswatini, Mauritius v Cape Verde, Morocco v Niger, Kenya v Gambia, Ivory Coast v Burundi, Seychelles v Gabon, Algeria v Botswana, Somalia v Guinea, Uganda v Mozambique, Namibia v Malawi, Sao Tome e Principe v Equatorial Guinea, Tunisia v Liberia, Chad v Ghana, Madagascar v Central African Republic, Mali v Comoros

Matchday eight

Burkina Faso v Egypt, Guinea-Bissau v Djibouti, Sierra Leone v Ethiopia, DR Congo v Senegal, Mauritania v South Sudan, Togo v Sudan, Benin v Lesotho, South Africa v Nigeria, Zimbabwe v Rwanda, Angola v Mauritius, Cape Verde v Cameroon, Libya v Eswatini, Tanzania v Niger, Zambia v Morocco, Gabon v Ivory Coast, Gambia v Burundi, Kenya v Seychelles, Guinea v Algeria, Mozambique v Botswana, Uganda v Somalia, Equatorial Guinea v Tunisia, Malawi v Liberia, Namibia v Sao Tome e Principe, Central African Republic v Comoros, Ghana v Mali, Madagascar v Chad

Oct 6-14

Matchday nine

Djibouti v Egypt, Ethiopia v Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone v Burkina Faso, South Sudan v Senegal, Sudan v Mauritania, Togo v DR Congo, Lesotho v Nigeria, Rwanda v Benin, Zimbabwe v South Africa, Eswatini v Angola, Libya v Cape Verde, Mauritius v Cameroon, Tanzania v Zambia, Burundi v Kenya, Gambia v Gabon, Seychelles v Ivory Coast, Botswana v Uganda, Mozambique v Guinea, Somalia v Algeria, Liberia v Namibia, Malawi v Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome e Principe v Tunisia, Central African Republic v Ghana, Chad v Mali, Comoros v Madagascar

Matchday 10

Burkina Faso v Ethiopia, Djibouti v Sierra Leone, Egypt v Guinea-Bissau, DR Congo v Sudan, Senegal v Mauritania, South Sudan v Togo, Lesotho v Zimbabwe, Nigeria v Benin, South Africa v Rwanda, Cameroon v Angola, Cape Verde v Eswatini, Mauritius v Libya, Zambia v Niger, Gabon v Burundi, Ivory Coast v Kenya, Seychelles v Gambia, Algeria v Uganda, Guinea v Botswana, Somalia v Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea v Liberia, Sao Tome e Principe v Malawi, Tunisia v Namibia, Chad v Central African Republic, Ghana v Comoros, Mali v Madagascar

-- Nine group winners qualify automatically for 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico

Nov 10-18

African play-offs

The four best-ranked runners-up from the nine groups enter a mini tournament. After single-match semi-finals and a final, the winners qualify for inter-continental play-offs

2026
Mar 23-31

Inter-continental play-offs

This tournament in one or more of the co-host countries will consist of two teams from North/Central America and one each from Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America. The two highest ranked countries will receive byes into the finals, with the other four playing semi-finals. The winners of the two finals qualify for the 2026 World Cup