2026 CAF World Cup Qualifying: Match Schedule, Group Standings, and Nations Qualified for Finals in USA, Canada, and Mexico

Teams like Morocco and Cameroon have had impressive beginnings to their qualifying campaigns and are considered front-runners to qualify for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

On the other hand, nations such as Burundi, Lesotho, and Mauritania are trying to earn points to keep their World Cup hopes alive. Nigeria, too, are desperate for results to avoid a shock elimination at this stage.

The Sporting News details the fixture schedule for the CAF section, and an updated list of which nations have qualified.

MORE: FIFA World Cup 2026 match schedule announcement

How CAF World Cup 2026 qualifying works

CAF's World Cup 2026 qualification process involves 54 teams competing for nine direct qualification places, with one additional spot available through an intercontinental playoff. 

The qualification stage comprises two rounds. In the first round, the 54 nations are divided into nine groups of six for round-robin matches. The group winners all qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup.

The four best runners-up during this group phase will compete in a small playoff phase (the second round) consisting of two semifinals and a final. Each is a one-off elimination match. The winner of this phase progresses to an inter-confederation playoff round, in which they will compete against nations from the AFC, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF and OFC regions for the right to a place at the World Cup.

Who has qualified from CAF for the 2026 World Cup?

As yet, no nations from the CAF region have qualified for the finals of the next World Cup.

The Sporting News will update this page as teams secure their places at the tournament.

CAF World Cup 2026 qualifying match schedule

Below is the schedule for qualifying matches for CAF nations for the 2026 World Cup.

RoundMatchdayDatesGroup Stage1Nov. 15-18, 2023Group Stage2Nov. 19-21, 2023Group Stage3Jun. 5-8, 2024Group Stage4Jun. 9-11, 2024Group Stage5Mar. 17-25, 2025Group Stage6Mar. 17-25, 2025Group Stage7Sep. 1-9, 2025Group Stage8Sep. 1-9, 2025Group Stage9Oct. 6-14, 2025Group Stage10Oct. 6-14, 2025Playoff StageSemifinalsNov. 10-18, 2025Playoff StageFinalNov. 10-18, 2025CAF World Cup 2026 qualifying groups, standings

Group A

PositionTeamPGDPoints1Egypt49102Guinea-Bissau4163Burkina Faso4254Sierra Leone4-155Ethiopia4-336Djibouti4-81

Group B

PositionTeamPGDPoints1Sudan46102Senegal4583DR Congo4274Togo4-135South Sudan4-726Mauritania4-51

Group C

PositionTeamPGDPoints1Rwanda4272South Africa4173Benin4174Lesotho4155Nigeria4-136Zimbabwe4-42

Group D

PositionTeamPGDPoints1Cameroon4682Libya4173Cape Verde4074Angola4165Mauritius4-346Eswatini4-50

Group E

PositionTeamPGDPoints1Morocco3992Tanzania3063Niger2034Zambia4-135Congo2-806Eritrea000

Group F

PositionTeamPGDPoints1Ivory Coast412102Gabon4293Burundi4274Kenya4455Gambia4036Seychelles4-200

Group G

PositionTeamPGDPoints1Algeria4492Mozambique4193Botswana4164Guinea4065Uganda4066Somalia4-60

Group H

PositionTeamPGDPoints1Tunisia46102Namibia4583Liberia4374Malawi4165Equatorial Guinea4-636São Tomé and Príncipe4-90

Group I

PositionTeamPGDPoints1Comoros4492Ghana4293Madagascar4374Mali4155Central African Republic4-246Chad4-80