The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that Morocco will host a pivotal four-nation playoff tournament to determine Africa’s final representative for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Set to take place from 13 to 16 November 2025, the mini-tournament will feature the four best second-placed teams from Africa’s nine qualifying groups.
The winner will advance to the intercontinental playoff scheduled for March 2026.
High Stakes, Single Spot
With the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada expanding to 48 teams, Africa has received nine automatic slots, with a tenth team having a chance to qualify via the intercontinental playoff route.
The Rabat-based playoff tournament will determine which African side earns that last opportunity.
CAF announced that the four teams will be seeded based on the FIFA World Rankings to be released on October 23, 2025.
The seeding will decide the semi-final pairings—1st vs 4th and 2nd vs 3rd—with both semi-finals taking place on 13 November and the final on 16 November.
The matches will follow a single-elimination format. In the event of a draw, extra time and penalties will apply. Teams will be allowed five substitutions in regulation time and an additional one in extra time.
Morocco: Trusted Host Once Again
Morocco’s selection as host comes as little surprise, with the country continuing to strengthen its role as a footballing hub on the continent. Already confirmed as the host nation for the Africa Cup of Nations in early 2026, Morocco has demonstrated consistent readiness in infrastructure and logistics.
CAF’s decision to hand the playoff hosting rights to Morocco was formalized in a circular signed by CAF Competitions Director Samson Adamu, reinforcing the country’s central role in African football’s evolving landscape.
The North African nation has hosted multiple CAF and FIFA competitions in recent years, earning praise for its world-class facilities, including stadiums in Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakesh, and Tangier—all potential venues for the playoff matches.
Still All to Play For
The final list of participating teams will be determined once the CAF group stage concludes in late October. As group winners book their tickets directly to the 2026 World Cup, second-place contenders are locked in tight battles to secure a place in the playoff.
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While nations like Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, and Senegal continue to pursue direct qualification, the playoff offers a final chance for teams such as Cameroon, DR Congo, Mali, Gabon, and others to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
CAF’s playoff structure mirrors the format used during the 2022 World Cup cycle, though this edition introduces greater competitiveness and higher stakes due to the expanded World Cup format.
Key Dates to Watch:
* October 23, 2025 – FIFA Rankings published to determine playoff seeding
* November 13, 2025 – Playoff semi-final matches
* November 16, 2025 – Final to decide Africa’s intercontinental playoff representative
* March 2026 – Intercontinental playoff (Africa vs team from another confederation)
The playoff winner will face a nation from another region—potentially from Asia, South America, Oceania, or North America—in a high-stakes intercontinental showdown to earn one of the last six tickets to the 2026 World Cup.
