As the CAF World Cup qualifiers kick into high gear this week, African nations are entering a make-or-break phase with matchdays five and six set to shape the destiny of the continent’s teams in the race for World Cup 2026 in North America. With only group winners “securing a ticket” to the World Cup and the four best runners-up fighting for scraps in a playoff spot, every match is a must-win affair.
Egypt, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire, Tunisia, and Morocco are currently sitting pretty at the top of their groups, but traditional powerhouses like Nigeria and Ghana are under the cosh and facing immense pressure.
3Sports assesses the state of play on the road to 2026 World Cup in Africa.
Group A
Egypt is firing on all cylinders in Group A, boasting an unbeaten record and a comfortable four-point lead at the top. The Pharaohs are the team to beat, with Mohamed Salah leading the charge in blistering form. The Liverpool star is the top scorer in the qualifying round with five goals, and Egypt will be hoping he carries his rich vein of form into games against Ethiopia and Sierra Leone.
The Pharos will look to strengthen their grip on top spot with an away match against Ethiopia before hosting Sierra Leone.
Guinea-Bissau, who held Egypt to ransom with a 1-1 draw, continue to push for second place.
Meanwhile, Burkina Faso must take maximum points against Djibouti to stay in contention for a second place finish after a slow start.
Group A standings:
Egypt – 10 pts
Guinea-Bissau – 6 pts
Burkina Faso – 5 pts
Sierra Leone – 5 pts
Ethiopia – 3 pts
Djibouti – 1 pt
Group B
A thrilling showdown is on the cards in Group B as Kwesi Appiah’s Sudan and Senegal, both in scintillating form, go head-to-head.
Senegal, led by captain Sadio Mane, are unbeaten but under pressure, trailing Sudan by two points.
Kwesi Appiah’s contingent is riding high after a stunning start to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and will be hoping to keep the fairy tale alive.
Their crunch clash with Senegal could be the group decider.
Meanwhile, DR Congo, despite early jitters, still have a glimmer of hope with must-win matches against South Sudan and Mauritania.
Togo, yet to get off the mark, will be hoping to turn their fortunes around when they face Mauritania.
Group B Standings:
Sudan – 10 pts
Senegal – 8 pts
DR Congo – 7 pts
Togo – 3 pts
South Sudan – 2 pts
Mauritania – 1 pt
Group C
Nigeria is in a precarious position in Group C, as Rwanda, South Africa, and Benin set the pace. This group is neck and neck, with three teams locked on seven points. Nigeria, once tipped for greatness in Group C, is now on the ropes, sitting fifth with just three points.
The Super Eagles must dig deep to win at Rwanda and revive their hopes, before a do-or-die home clash against Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, buoyed by their AFCON success, will aim to take control with two wins against top-three sides Benin and Lesotho.
Group C Standings:
Rwanda – 7 pts
South Africa – 7
pts Benin – 7 pts
Lesotho – 5 pts
Nigeria – 3 pts
Zimbabwe – 2 pts
Group D
Group D is shaping up to be a thriller, with the winner potentially being decided in the final minutes. The top four teams are separated by a hair’s breadth, with just two points between them.
Cameroon is holding on by a thread, just one point ahead of Cape Verde and Libya, who has newly-appointed boss Aliou Cisse at the helm.
A win against Eswatini, who are yet to get off the mark, could give the Indomitable Lions some much-needed breathing room as they chase their ninth World Cup appearance.
Meanwhile, Angola, who went unbeaten in AFCON qualifiers, could throw a spanner in the works if they take points from Libya and Cape Verde.
Group D Standings:
Cameroon – 8 pts
Libya – 7 pts
Cape Verde – 7 pts
Angola – 6 pts
Mauritius – 4 pts
Eswatini – 0 pts
Group E
Morocco is running riot in Group E, with three wins from three, making them red-hot favorites to qualify directly.
However, they face a stern test against Niger, who pulled off a string of upsets in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers and are still in the mix.
Morocco will then host Tanzania in a do-or-die match for both teams.
The real battleground is for second place, with Tanzania and Niger neck and neck on six points each. Their upcoming matches will be make-or-break in determining who takes the second spot.
Despite a slow start, Zambia still has a glimmer of hope to make a comeback in the group.
With Congo struggling to get off the ground with zero points, Zambia will be looking to capitalize on their upcoming matches to turn their fortunes around.
Group E Standings:
Morocco – 9 pts
Niger – 6 pts
Tanzania – 6 pts
Zambia – 3 pts
Congo – 0 pts
Group F
Reigning continental champions Côte d’Ivoire are holding the reins in Group F, boasting a slender one-point advantage. Fresh from their 2023 TotalEnergies CAF AFCON triumph, the Elephants have maintained their momentum in World Cup qualification, sitting top with 10 points.
Their squad, featuring a formidable frontline of Jean-Philippe Krasso, Oumar Diakite, and Simon Adingra, has looked rock-solid, but the battle for qualification is far from over.
Gabon, hot on their heels just one point behind, will aim to keep the pressure cooker on with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leading their attack.
Burundi, sitting third with seven points, remains in the hunt. Kenya and Gambia must go all out to win their upcoming matches and avoid falling further behind.
New Kenya coach Benni McCarthy has his sights set on a historic first World Cup qualification, seeking to bridge the gap to the Elephants.
Group F Standings:
Côte d’Ivoire – 10 pts
Gabon – 9 pts
Burundi – 7 pts
Kenya – 5 pts
Gambia – 3 pts
Seychelles – 0 pts
Group G
Group G is shaping up to be a real nail-biter, with Algeria and Mozambique going toe-to-toe for top spot. The top five teams are separated by a hair’s breadth, with just three points between them.
Vladimir Petkovic’s Algeria, who sailed through AFCON 2025 qualification, face a tough examination against Mozambique and Botswana, both heading to Morocco in December.
Algeria, with World Cup experience under their belt, are locked in a fierce battle with Mozambique, both on nine points. The Fennecs will rely on red-hot Amine Gouiri to give them the edge.
With Botswana, Guinea, and Uganda bunched together on six points, the group remains wide open.
The upcoming matches will be decisive in determining who takes control before the final phase.
Somalia, still searching for their first point, is out of contention, while AFCON 2027 co-hosts Uganda is waiting in the wings to capitalize on any slip-ups.
Group G Standings:
Algeria – 9 pts
Mozambique – 9
pts Botswana – 6 pts
Guinea – 6 pts
Uganda – 6 pts
Somalia – 0 pts
Group H
Tunisia is standing tall in Group H, despite the challenging matches, boasting a 10-point lead and aiming to seal the deal early for a 2026 World Cup qualification spot. The North African side is on a mission to edge closer to a seventh World Cup appearance, with upcoming litmus tests against a resurgent Liberia and a stubborn Malawi.
Namibia and Liberia, sitting in second and third, remain in the hunt, while Equatorial Guinea, despite their AFCON qualification, has been inconsistent in this campaign. São Tomé and Príncipe, meanwhile, is struggling to make a mark, losing all their matches so far. This group is shaping up to be a thrilling ride, with fans on the edge of their seats watching the action unfold.
Group H Standings:
Tunisia – 10 pts
Namibia – 8 pts
Liberia – 7 pts
Malawi – 6 pts
Equatorial Guinea – 3 pts
São Tomé and Príncipe – 0 pts
Group I
The dark horses of Comoros are stunning the skeptics by sitting atop Group I alongside Ghana, both on 9 points. This island nation has been “on a meteoric rise, delivering jaw-dropping performances in both AFCON and World Cup qualifiers.
Ghana, however, is under the cosh, facing intense pressure as they were expected to run riot in this group. To stay in the hunt, the Black Stars must grab maximum points from their matches against Chad and Madagascar and hope for a favorable bounce of the ball elsewhere.
Mali, with just 5 points, is struggling to keep pace with Ghana and Comoros. However, they’re still in with a shout as they’ve never reached the World Cup qualifying finals. After going unbeaten in AFCON preliminaries, coach Saintfiet is bullish about their chances. The Eagles can cut the deficit to group leaders Comoros straight away when they clash with the islanders.
Meanwhile, Madagascar and the Central African Republic are lurking in the shadows, poised to pounce on any slip-up and grab a second-place finish.
Group I Standings:
Comoros – 9 pts
Ghana – 9 pts
Madagascar – 7 pts
Mali – 5 pts
Central African Republic – 4 pts
Chad – 0 pts
