Nigeria will take on Gabon in the semi-finals of the African section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs, following the conclusion of the qualifying group matches on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles booked their play-off spot after a dominant 4–0 win over Benin Republic earlier in the day. Gabon also secured their place by finishing second in Group F, courtesy of a 2–0 victory against Burundi, while Ivory Coast topped the group after thrashing Kenya.
Elsewhere, DR Congo edged Sudan 1–0 to finish runners-up in Group B behind Senegal, while Cameroon joined them after securing second place in Group D behind Cape Verde.
The play-offs, which will feature the four best runners-up from the nine African qualifying groups, are scheduled to take place in Morocco from 13 to 16 November 2025.
Nigeria, expected to remain the highest-ranked African team among the four when FIFA releases its updated rankings on 23 October, will face Gabon — the lowest-ranked side in the play-offs. The other semi-final will see Cameroon take on DR Congo.
Both semi-finals will be played on 13 November, with the winners meeting three days later in a one-leg final.
The overall winner will progress to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026, where they will battle for a place at the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
If any of the matches end in a draw after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time will be played, followed by a penalty shoot-out if necessary.
Morocco will host the mini-tournament, which provides Africa with an additional opportunity to qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup.
All nine group winners from the African qualifiers have already secured direct spots at next year’s finals, while the play-offs will determine if the continent can add one more representative through the inter-continental route.
