Africa World Cup 2026 Qualifying Results

The Africa World Cup 2026 qualifying results produced one of the most dramatic and historic campaigns in CAF history. Ten African teams earned their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America — a continental record. Nine teams won their qualifying groups outright, while DR Congo navigated a brutal play-off route to claim the 10th spot. Nigeria and Cameroon, two of Africa’s biggest nations, both missed out. Here is the complete story, group by group, result by result.

How the CAF 2026 World Cup Qualifying Format Worked

The 2026 World Cup was the first to feature 48 teams  up from 32 at previous tournaments. That expansion meant Africa’s allocation jumped from five direct slots to nine, plus one additional place via an inter-confederation play-off. More chances. More drama. More pressure.

CAF’s 54 member nations were drawn into nine groups of six teams each. Every team played home and away against all five other nations in their group — ten matches total. The group winner qualified automatically for the World Cup. The four best runners-up across all nine groups moved into a two-round play-off in Morocco. The play-off winner earned a spot at the FIFA inter-confederation play-offs, where one final place could be won.

The group stage ran from November 2023 to October 2025. In total, 259 matches were played, 648 goals were scored, and 1,647,509 fans attended across the campaign an average of 6,361 per match. The top scorer across the entire African qualification was Algeria’s Mohamed Amoura, who netted 10 goals.

Group A: Egypt Dominant, Burkina Faso Strong Runners-Up

Group A teams: Egypt, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia, Djibouti

Winner: Egypt — 26 points (W8 D2 L0)

Egypt were ruthless. Eight wins, two draws, not a single defeat in ten matches. They scored 20 goals and conceded only two. Mohamed Salah led from the front, finishing as one of the campaign’s top scorers and carrying the Pharaohs to qualification with authority.

It was not always easy  Guinea-Bissau held them to a 1-1 draw and demonstrated how competitive the lower-ranked teams have become  but Egypt’s quality was never seriously in doubt. Burkina Faso pushed hard for second with 21 points but fell short of the play-off spots when the runners-up rankings were tallied.

Group B: Senegal Unbeaten, DR Congo Make History

Group B teams: Senegal, DR Congo, Sudan, Togo, Mauritania, South Sudan

Winner: Senegal — 24 points (W7 D3 L0)

Senegal went through their entire ten-match group campaign without losing once. Seven wins, three draws, 22 goals scored, three conceded. The Lions of Teranga were the model of consistency, though they did face some nervy moments — particularly a tight fight with DR Congo for top spot in the middle of the campaign.

The decisive result came in Kinshasa, where Senegal came from 2-0 down to win 3-2, with Pape Matar Sarr scoring an 87th-minute winner that flipped the group in Senegal’s favour. DR Congo finished second with 22 points — and that runner-up position sent them into the CAF play-offs, where their story would get even bigger.

Group C: South Africa Edge Out Nigeria in Tightest Group

Group C teams: South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, Benin, Zimbabwe, Lesotho

Winner: South Africa

This was the group Nigerian fans will never stop discussing. South Africa won it. Nigeria — despite having one of the continent’s most talented squads — finished second. That meant the play-off route, and ultimately, elimination.

The campaign was chaotic from the start. Nigeria drew their first three qualifiers without winning a single match, including a 1-1 home draw with South Africa in a game they had to win. Victor Osimhen’s absence through injury cost Nigeria dearly — they picked up only four points from the five group-stage matches he missed.

There was also a controversial twist: South Africa were stripped of three points after being found to have fielded an ineligible player — Teboho Mokoena — in their match against Lesotho. A result that had finished 2-0 to Bafana Bafana was changed to a 3-0 win for Lesotho. The reversal threatened to unravel South Africa’s campaign, but they recovered and held on. They qualified. Nigeria did not.

Group D: Cape Verde’s Fairytale Qualification

Group D teams: Cape Verde, Cameroon, Angola, Libya, Eswatini, Mauritius

Winner: Cape Verde — 23 points (W7 D2 L1)

One of the great stories of the entire CAF qualifying campaign. Cape Verde — a small island nation off the coast of West Africa with a population of fewer than 600,000 people — finished above Cameroon to qualify for their first-ever senior World Cup.

The Blue Sharks were consistent throughout, sealing qualification with a 3-0 home win over Eswatini. Cameroon, one of Africa’s most historically decorated nations, finished second and entered the play-offs — where they were then eliminated by DR Congo in a massive shock. The contrast in fortunes between these two nations summarises why African football is so unpredictable.

Group E: Morocco Perfect, One of Africa’s Best Qualifying Campaigns Ever

Group E teams: Morocco, Zambia, Rep. Congo, Tanzania, Niger, Eritrea (withdrew)

Winner: Morocco — 24 points in 8 matches

Morocco were extraordinary. After Eritrea withdrew from qualifying, the Atlas Lions played eight matches — and won all eight of them. They scored 22 goals and conceded just two. That is not a qualifying campaign. That is a statement.

It was not always smooth — they needed a stoppage-time goal from Bilal El Khannouss to beat Niger in one of their earlier games — but Morocco’s quality was consistently clear. Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Díaz and Ayoub El Kaabi drove the team forward, and their defensive structure was almost impossible to break down. Morocco arrived at the 2026 World Cup as Africa’s highest-ranked team and the clear continental favourites.

Group F: Ivory Coast Dominant as AFCON Champions

Group F teams: Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, Gambia, Burundi, Seychelles

Winner: Ivory Coast — 26 points (highest of any African qualifier)

Fresh from winning the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, the Elephants came into qualifying with serious momentum — and they carried it all the way through. Ivory Coast accumulated 26 points across their ten matches, the highest total of any of the nine group winners.

Gabon pushed hard for second place with 25 points — just one behind the group winners — and that narrow gap sent them into the play-offs as one of the four best runners-up. But Ivory Coast were never seriously threatened at the top. They qualified with matches to spare and arrived at the World Cup as one of the most complete African teams in the tournament.

Group G: Algeria Steady, Top Scorer Leads the Way

Group G teams: Algeria, Guinea, Uganda, Mozambique, Botswana, Somalia

Winner: Algeria — 25 points (W8 D1 L1)

Algeria were not flashy. They were effective. Eight wins, one draw, one defeat — enough to win a competitive group that saw Uganda and Mozambique both finish with 18 points behind them. Mohamed Amoura, who finished as the top scorer across the entire CAF qualifying campaign with 10 goals, was the driving force behind Algeria’s march to qualification.

The Fennec Foxes’ single defeat  a 1-2 reverse at home to Uganda — was a surprise but it never threatened their position at the top. They sealed qualification before the final matchday and looked forward to a World Cup draw that put them against Argentina. That match-up is one of the most anticipated African fixtures of the tournament.

Group H: Tunisia Seal Early, Namibia Runner-Up But Miss Play-Offs

Group H teams: Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Malawi, Liberia, São Tomé and Príncipe

Winner: Tunisia

Tunisia were one of the first teams to secure their World Cup place, wrapping up top spot before the final round of matches. Consistent, organised and disciplined — the Carthage Eagles are making their eighth World Cup appearance overall and will be looking to reach the knockout stages for the very first time.

Namibia finished as runners-up but were ranked as one of the five worst second-placed teams across all nine groups and did not advance to the play-offs. A missed opportunity for a nation that has been steadily building its football identity.

Group I: Ghana Return After Missing 2022 World Cup

Group I teams: Ghana, Mali, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Comoros, Chad

Winner: Ghana — 25 points (W8 D1 L1)

Ghana’s return to the World Cup is a significant story. The Black Stars had missed the 2022 tournament in Qatar — a painful absence for a nation that has appeared at four previous World Cups. They bounced back by winning Group I with 25 points, dropping just one match across the campaign.

Mali, despite finishing third, showed quality throughout — a reminder that the group was more competitive than the final standings might suggest. But Ghana’s combination of experience and emerging talent, including the brilliant form of Antoine Semenyo, was enough to see them through convincingly.

The CAF Play-Offs: Drama in Rabat

The four best runners-up from the nine groups advanced to a two-round play-off held in Rabat, Morocco in November 2025. Those four teams were: Nigeria, Gabon, DR Congo and Cameroon.

Play-Off Semi-Finals (November 13, 2025)

Nigeria 4-1 Gabon (after extra time)

Nigeria started slowly but eventually blew Gabon away. Akor Adams opened the scoring, before Chidera Ejuke struck early in extra time and Victor Osimhen — typically decisive — sealed a memorable win with a ruthless brace. The Super Eagles were into the final. The dream was alive.

DR Congo 1-0 Cameroon

This was the shock of the entire play-off. Cameroon — the Indomitable Lions, one of Africa’s most storied nations — were eliminated by DR Congo in a disciplined, composed performance. Chancel Mbemba scored a stoppage-time winner from a corner to send the Leopards through. The Cameroonian Football Federation were furious, and a protest about DR Congo’s use of European-born players who had switched nationalities was filed with FIFA, though it ultimately changed nothing.

Play-Off Final (November 16, 2025)

Nigeria 1-1 DR Congo after extra time (DR Congo win 4-3 on penalties)

The most painful result in Nigerian football in years. Frank Onyeka gave Nigeria a dream start in just the third minute. But Meschack Elia levelled for DR Congo on 32 minutes, and the game went to extra time with neither side able to break the deadlock. Then came the penalties.

Stanley Nwabali saved twice for Nigeria in the shootout — but it was not enough. Calvin Bassey, Moses Simon and Semi Ajayi all failed from the spot. DR Congo’s captain Chancel Mbemba converted the decisive kick. Nigeria were out. DR Congo were through — and headed to the inter-confederation play-offs.

DR Congo Complete the Journey: The Tenth African Qualifier

DR Congo’s route to the 2026 World Cup was the longest and most dramatic of any African team. They finished second in Group B behind Senegal, survived the play-off gauntlet by eliminating Cameroon and then Nigeria, and then won their inter-confederation play-off match against Jamaica 1-0 after extra time, with Axel Tuanzebe scoring in the 100th minute.

That goal completed Africa’s 10-team contingent for 2026. DR Congo are returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1974  a gap of 52 years. For the Congolese players, their fans, and a nation of over 100 million people, that moment against Jamaica was one of football’s most emotional in recent memory.

The Big Upsets and Talking Points From Qualifying

Nigeria’s collapse: A squad containing Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi failed to top a group that included South Africa, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Benin and Lesotho. Three coaching changes in two years, training boycotts and administrative chaos all contributed to one of African football’s biggest qualifying failures.

Cameroon’s shock exit: The five-time African champions, who had reached the 2022 World Cup, were eliminated by DR Congo in a result that sent shockwaves through the continent.

Cape Verde’s first-ever World Cup: The island nation’s qualification ahead of Cameroon in Group D remains one of the most remarkable achievements in recent CAF history.

Morocco’s perfect campaign: Eight matches. Eight wins. The Atlas Lions set the standard for how to qualify.

South Africa back after 16 years: Bafana Bafana last appeared at a World Cup in 2010 — when they hosted it. Their return, especially given that they open the 2026 tournament against Mexico, is one of the competition’s most emotional storylines.

Final Summary: All 10 African Qualifiers and How They Got There

Team	Route	Group	Points
Egypt	Group winner	Group A	26
Senegal	Group winner	Group B	24
South Africa	Group winner	Group C	—
Cape Verde	Group winner	Group D	23
Morocco	Group winner	Group E	24 (8 games)
Ivory Coast	Group winner	Group F	26
Algeria	Group winner	Group G	25
Tunisia	Group winner	Group H	—
Ghana	Group winner	Group I	25
DR Congo	Play-offs + inter-confederation	Group B runner-up	—

Notable Absences: Who Did Not Qualify?

For all the celebration, the qualifying campaign also produced painful exits for major football nations.

Nigeria — Africa’s most populous nation, a three-time AFCON champion and a team with players at the very top of European club football, missed the World Cup for the second consecutive time. Their play-off final defeat on penalties to DR Congo was the defining image of a campaign defined by chaos, instability and missed chances.

Cameroon — The Indomitable Lions, who have qualified for eight World Cups and produced legends like Roger Milla and Samuel Eto’o, were eliminated by DR Congo in the play-off semi-finals. A country with 26 million football-mad people will be watching North America from home.

Mali — Showed consistent quality in qualifying, particularly with players like El Bilal Touré and Moussa Djenepo, but finished third behind Ghana and Madagascar in Group I. Not enough to make the play-offs.

Burkina Faso — Strong runners-up in Group A with 21 points, finishing above Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia and Djibouti, but their points total was not sufficient to claim one of the four play-off places when the runners-up rankings were compiled.

Frequently Asked Questions

What were the Africa World Cup 2026 qualifying results?

The Africa World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign ran from November 2023 to October 2025, with 54 nations drawn into nine groups of six teams. The nine group winners — Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Cape Verde, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Tunisia and Ghana — qualified automatically. DR Congo won the CAF play-offs and then the inter-confederation play-off to become the 10th African qualifier, completing a record continental contingent for the tournament.

Which African teams failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup?

Nigeria and Cameroon were the most high-profile casualties of the CAF qualifying campaign. Nigeria finished second in Group C behind South Africa, reached the play-off final but lost to DR Congo 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Cameroon were eliminated in the play-off semi-finals by DR Congo in a major shock. Other notable absentees include Mali, Burkina Faso and Gabon, who all fell short of qualification.

How did DR Congo qualify for the 2026 World Cup through the playoffs?

DR Congo finished second in CAF Group B behind Senegal and qualified for the play-offs as one of the four best runners-up. In the play-off semi-finals they beat Cameroon 1-0 with a stoppage-time Chancel Mbemba goal. They then beat Nigeria 4-3 on penalties in the final after a 1-1 draw, before winning the inter-confederation play-off against Jamaica 1-0 in extra time, with Axel Tuanzebe scoring in the 100th minute to send DR Congo to their first World Cup since 1974.

Who was the top scorer in CAF World Cup 2026 qualifying?

Algeria’s Mohamed Amoura finished as the top scorer across the entire CAF qualifying campaign with 10 goals across the group stage, helping Algeria win Group G with 25 points. Egypt’s Mohamed Salah was also among the leading scorers, netting multiple goals across the campaign as the Pharaohs topped Group A with a dominant 26 points from ten matches.