World Cup
2026 World Cup qualifiers: Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire, and Morocco lead – Nigeria, Ghana under pressure
As the CAF World Cup qualifiers return this week, African nations are entering a crucial phase with matchdays five and six set to shape the race for World Cup 2026 in North America.
With only group winners securing direct qualification and the four best runners-up fighting for a playoff spot, every match matters.
Egypt, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire, Tunisia, and Morocco currently lead their groups, but traditional powerhouses like Nigeria and Ghana are under immense pressure.
Here’s a detailed analysis of each group, followed by the latest fixtures and standings.
Group A: Egypt Set to Extend Lead, Burkina Faso Aim to Bounce Back
Egypt remain firm favourites to top Group A, boasting an unbeaten record and a squad led by Mohamed Salah and Mahmoud Trezeguet, the joint-top scorers in qualifying.
With Omar Marmoush now in the mix, Egypt will look to strengthen their position with an away match against Ethiopia before hosting Sierra Leone.
Guinea-Bissau, who held Egypt to a 1-1 draw, continue to fight for second place. Meanwhile, Burkina Faso must take full points against Djibouti to stay in contention after a slow start.
Upcoming Fixtures:
Matchday 5: Burkina Faso vs Djibouti | Sierra Leone vs Guinea-Bissau | Ethiopia vs Egypt
Matchday 6: Guinea-Bissau vs Burkina Faso | Egypt vs Sierra Leone | Ethiopia vs Djibouti
Standings:
- 1. Egypt – 10 pts
- 2. Guinea-Bissau – 6 pts
- 3. Burkina Faso – 5 pts
- 4. Sierra Leone – 5 pts
- 5. Ethiopia – 3 pts
- 6. Djibouti – 1 pt
Group B: Sudan and Senegal Locked in a Top-of-the-Table Battle
This group is set for a crucial showdown between Sudan and Senegal, both of whom have been in fine form. Senegal, led by captain Sadio Mane, are unbeaten but trail Sudan by two points.
Their head-to-head clash could decide the group’s outcome.
DR Congo, despite early struggles, still have a chance to stay in contention with must-win matches against South Sudan and Mauritania. Meanwhile, Togo are still chasing their first win in the group.
Upcoming Fixtures:
Matchday 5: DR Congo vs South Sudan | Togo vs Mauritania | Sudan vs Senegal
Matchday 6: Mauritania vs DR Congo | Senegal vs Togo | Sudan vs Senegal
Standings:
- 1. Sudan – 10 pts
- 2. Senegal – 8 pts
- 3. DR Congo – 7 pts
- 4. Togo – 3 pts
- 5. South Sudan – 2 pts
- 6. Mauritania – 1 pt
Group C: Nigeria in Crisis as Rwanda, South Africa, and Benin Lead the Charge
This is one of the tightest groups, with three teams – Rwanda, South Africa, and Benin – all tied on seven points. Nigeria, however, are in danger of missing out on qualification, sitting fifth with just three points.
Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen celebrates with teammates. Such celebrations are anticipated by Nigerians on Friday.
The Super Eagles must win at Rwanda to revive their hopes before a home clash against Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, South Africa, boosted by their TotalEnergies CAF AFCON qualification, will be aiming for two wins to take control of the group.
Upcoming Fixtures:
Matchday 5: South Africa vs Lesotho | Zimbabwe vs Benin | Rwanda vs Nigeria
Matchday 6: Benin vs South Africa | Nigeria vs Zimbabwe | Rwanda vs Lesotho
Standings:
- 1. Rwanda – 7 pts
- 2. South Africa – 7 pts
- 3. Benin – 7 pts
- 4. Lesotho – 5 pts
- 5. Nigeria – 3 pts
- 6. Zimbabwe – 2 pts
Group D: Cameroon Look to Pull Away from Chasing Pack
Cameroon, with their eight World Cup appearances, lead the group but have Libya and Cape Verde just one point behind. A win against Eswatini, who have lost all their games, could create some breathing room.
Angola, who went unbeaten in the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON qualifiers, could also shake up the standings if they take points from Libya and Cape Verde.
Upcoming Fixtures:
Matchday 5: Cape Verde vs Mauritius | Libya vs Angola | Eswatini vs Cameroon
Matchday 6: Angola vs Cape Verde | Cameroon vs Libya | Eswatini vs Mauritius
Standings:
1. Cameroon – 8 pts
2. Libya – 7 pts
3. Cape Verde – 7 pts
4. Angola – 6 pts
5. Mauritius – 4 pts
6. Eswatini – 0 pts
Group E: Morocco Dominate as Eritrea’s Exit Leaves Just Five Teams
With three wins from three, Morocco are heavy favorites to qualify directly.
They face a tough test against Niger, who are still in contention, before hosting Tanzania in a must-win match for both teams.
Upcoming Fixtures:
Matchday 5: Niger vs Morocco | Tanzania vs Congo | Zambia vs Eritrea*
Matchday 6: Congo vs Zambia | Niger vs Eritrea* | Morocco vs Tanzania
Standings:
- 1. Morocco – 9 pts
- 2. Niger – 6 pts
- 3. Tanzania – 6 pts
- 4. Zambia – 3 pts
- 5. Congo – 0 pts
Group F: Côte d’Ivoire Face Strong Competition from Gabon and Burundi
Côte d’Ivoire, fresh from winning the 2023 TotalEnergies CAF AFCON, have maintained their dominance in World Cup qualification, sitting top of the group with 10 points.
Cote d’Ivoire’s Seko Mohamed Fofana celebrates goal with teammates during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
Their squad, featuring Jean-Philippe Krasso and Oumar Diakite, has looked solid, but the race for qualification is far from over.
Gabon, just one point behind, will look to maintain pressure, especially with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leading their attack.
Burundi, sitting in third with seven points, are also in contention. Kenya and Gambia must win their upcoming matches to avoid falling further behind.
Upcoming Fixtures:
Matchday 5: Gabon vs Seychelles | Gambia vs Kenya | Burundi vs Côte d’Ivoire
Matchday 6: Kenya vs Gabon | Côte d’Ivoire vs Gambia | Burundi vs Seychelles
Standings:
- 1. Côte d’Ivoire – 10 pts
- 2. Gabon – 9 pts
- 3. Burundi – 7 pts
- 4. Kenya – 5 pts
- 5. Gambia – 3 pts
- 6. Seychelles – 0 pts
Group G: Algeria and Mozambique in Tight Battle for Top Spot
Algeria, the only team in this group with World Cup experience, are locked in a tense battle with Mozambique, as both sides sit on nine points. The Fennecs will rely on in-form Amine Gouiri, who has been instrumental in their qualification campaign.
With Botswana, Guinea, and Uganda all sitting on six points, the group remains wide open. The upcoming matches could be decisive in determining who takes control before the final phase of qualifiers. Somalia, yet to register a point, are effectively out of contention.
Upcoming Fixtures:
Matchday 5: Guinea vs Somalia | Mozambique vs Uganda | Botswana vs Algeria
Matchday 6: Uganda vs Guinea | Algeria vs Mozambique | Botswana vs Somalia
Standings:
- 1. Algeria – 9 pts
- 2. Mozambique – 9 pts
- 3. Botswana – 6 pts
- 4. Guinea – 6 pts
- 5. Uganda – 6 pts
- 6. Somalia – 0 pts
Group H: Tunisia Look to Extend Lead, Namibia and Liberia in Pursuit
Tunisia have been the standout team in this group, leading with 10 points and securing an early AFCON 2025 qualification spot. They are looking to edge closer to a seventh World Cup appearance, with upcoming matches against Liberia and Malawi.
Namibia and Liberia, sitting in second and third, remain in contention, while Equatorial Guinea, despite their AFCON qualification, have been inconsistent in this campaign. São Tomé and Príncipe have struggled to make an impact, losing all their matches so far.
Upcoming Fixtures:
Matchday 5: Equatorial Guinea vs São Tomé and Príncipe | Malawi vs Namibia | Liberia vs Tunisia
Matchday 6: Namibia vs Equatorial Guinea | Tunisia vs Malawi | Liberia vs São Tomé and Príncipe
Standings:
- 1. Tunisia – 10 pts
- 2. Namibia – 8 pts
- 3. Liberia – 7 pts
- 4. Malawi – 6 pts
- 5. Equatorial Guinea – 3 pts
- 6. São Tomé and Príncipe – 0 pts
Group I: Ghana Face a Must-Win Situation as Comoros Hold Surprise Lead
One of the biggest surprises in the CAF qualifiers has been Comoros, who sit top of Group I alongside Ghana, both on 9 points. The island nation has been one of Africa’s fastest-rising teams, with impressive performances in both AFCON and World Cup qualifiers.
Ghana, however, are under immense pressure, as they were expected to dominate this group. With Mali and Madagascar still in the race, the Black Stars must win their matches against Chad and Madagascar to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Mali, with just 5 points, are struggling to keep up, while Chad remain without a point and are effectively out of the running.
Upcoming Fixtures:
Matchday 5: Ghana vs Chad | Central African Republic vs Madagascar | Comoros vs Mali
Matchday 6: Madagascar vs Ghana | Central African Republic vs Mali | Comoros vs Chad
Standings:
- 1.Comoros – 9 pts
- 2. Ghana – 9 pts
- 3. Madagascar – 7 pts
- 4.Mali – 5 pts
- 5. Central African Republic – 4 pts
- 6. Chad – 0 pts
With only the group winners securing a direct ticket to World Cup 2026, the stakes have never been higher.
Egypt, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire, Tunisia, and Morocco look on course for qualification, but giants like Nigeria and Ghana must fight to stay in contention.
The next two matchdays will be critical in shaping Africa’s representation at the World Cup, with several must-win matches on the horizon.
Expect high-intensity battles across all groups as teams push for a place on the world stage.
CAF
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With just a year to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in the United States, concerns are mounting over the impact of extreme summer heat on players and fans.
According to experts interviewed by the BBC, FIFA may be forced to adjust match schedules drastically—possibly even staging the World Cup final as early as 9 a.m.—to mitigate the risks posed by soaring temperatures.
The warnings follow sweltering conditions witnessed during recent international and Club World Cup matches held in the U.S., where athletes and spectators alike were exposed to intense heat and humidity.
One of the leading voices raising the alarm is Professor Mike Tipton, an expert in thermal physiology at the University of Portsmouth. Speaking to BBC Sport, he emphasised the potential health risks of playing in extreme conditions and recommended that matches begin as early in the day as possible.
“From a thermo-physiological point of view, for health and performance reasons, I would look to start matches as early as possible,” Tipton stated, suggesting that even the final—traditionally held in the afternoon or evening—could be moved to a morning kickoff.
Tipton went further, noting that the ideal solution would be to host the tournament during a cooler time of year, as was done with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which was shifted to November and December due to extreme heat.
However, with the 2026 tournament already locked in for June 11 to July 19, FIFA’s only remaining flexibility lies in scheduling match times.
The 2026 edition will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico across multiple cities, some of which are known for intense summer heat.
Health experts are urging organisers to prioritise player safety and fan well-being, warning that failing to act could lead to performance issues, heat-related illnesses, or worse.
FIFA has yet to publicly comment on any proposed changes to match schedules, but as temperatures continue to rise, pressure is mounting for the governing body to take decisive action ahead of football’s biggest tournament.
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FIFA’s Global Football Development chief Arsene Wenger acknowledged that the quality of pitches hosting Club World Cup matches in the U.S. was not good enough, but insisted it would be better when the country co-hosts the 2026 World Cup.
The pitches, often very dry and sprinkled with water during cooling breaks or at halftime, have been widely criticised, mainly by coaches and players of the European teams taking part.
“I’ve been personally on the pitch at Orlando,” former Arsenal manager Wenger said on Saturday. “It’s not at the level that the European clubs are used to because it’s not perfect, but that will be rectified for the World Cup next year.”
Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique raised the issue early in the expanded Club World Cup tournament.
“The ball bounces like a rabbit,” Luis Enrique said after his team’s opening 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid.
“Today, for example, the field used to be artificial turf, and now it’s natural grass laid over it, which means it has to be watered manually. It’s a big problem for the way we play.”
“FIFA really needs to take this seriously. Not just the stadium fields but also the training pitches. If we’re calling this the best club tournament in the world, it should have world‑class facilities. I can’t imagine an NBA game played on a court full of holes.”
-Reuters
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Congo will be allowed to continue participating in the World Cup qualifiers despite missing two fixtures in March when they were banned, world football’s governing body FIFA said on Wednesday.
Congo were suspended from February to May because of government interference in the running of their football association (FECOFOOT) but the ban was lifted when officials returned to their positions and were handed back access to their headquarters and technical training centre.
Sports minister Hugues Ngouelondele had appointed an ad-hoc committee last year to run the association, claiming it needed to sort out disputes among association office bearers, but FIFA suspended FECOFOOT due to third-party interference, which violates its statutes.
During the ban, Congo were not allowed to participate in any international competition, which meant they did not honour 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Tanzania and Niger in March.
A FIFA spokesman told Reuters the points from those fixtures were forfeited and a 3-0 victory awarded to their opponents.
But they will continue in the qualifiers when they resume in September, even if they have no chance of qualifying.
Congo are scheduled to play Tanzania at home in September and conclude their fixtures in October with matches at Niger and Morocco.
Congo have no points in the group, which Morocco lead with 15 points, six more than Tanzania in second place.
The group winner qualifies for next year’s World Cup in North America while the runner-up has a possibility to participate in playoffs if they are among the four best second-placed teams in the nine African qualifying groups.
FIFA has taken a hard line on government interference in football matters with the likes of Chad, Kenya, Pakistan and Zimbabwe among those banned in recent years.
Congo were African champions in 1972 but have never been to a World Cup.
-Reuters
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