African qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is entering its final stages, with four rounds remaining before the campaign ends in October. Nine group winners will qualify directly, while the four best runners-up enter November play-offs for intercontinental qualification. Egypt and Morocco can secure early berths with strong September results. Cape Verde, Comoros and war-affected Sudan remain in contention for historic first qualifications, while Nigeria faces the risk of early elimination. A tight group involving DR Congo, Senegal and Sudan features decisive upcoming fixtures that could determine the top spot and qualification paths.
Egypt and Morocco could book tickets to the 2026 Fifa World Cup during this month's international window (3-9 September) as African qualifying intensifies. Following an extended campaign which began in November 2023 and ends in October, four rounds of preliminaries are left to play. Only the nine group winners are guaranteed a spot at the finals next year, with the four best-placed runners-up entering play-offs in November for a second chance to qualify via an intercontinental route.
Several other nations could join the Pharaohs and Atlas Lions in reaching the United States, Mexico and Canada with two games to spare, depending on results. Cape Verde, Comoros and civil war-torn Sudan are still in the hunt for historic qualifications, while Nigeria are in danger of an early elimination. BBC Sport Africa runs down the situation in all nine groups, and the key matches to look out for, as sides from across the continent look to join the 13 countries
Egypt hold a five-point lead over Burkina Faso, and the West Africans know they will have to triumph when they host Mohamed Salah and company on Tuesday. Before that, the North Africans welcome Ethiopia and the Stallions take on Djibouti. Maximum points this month will be enough for record nine-time continental champions Egypt to secure just their third World Cup qualification.
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