World Cup 2026 qualifying: Who can claim seven African spots still on offer?

Seven places at the 2026 Fifa World Cup are up for grabs as the group stage of African qualifying reaches its climax.

With fixtures being played between Wednesday 8 and Tuesday, 14 October, only the nine group winners are assured of a spot at the expanded 48-team tournament. Morocco, semi-finalists at Qatar 2022, and Tunisia have already booked their tickets.

Cape Verde are one victory away from clinching a first ever appearance at the World Cup while Egypt and Algeria also know that three points from their next two games will secure top spot in their respective groups.

The four best-ranked second-placed sides from across the nine groups will enter play-offs next month, with the winners then getting another chance to qualify via an intercontinental route.

With continental heavyweights Cameroon and Nigeria in danger of missing out, BBC Sport Africa breaks down who still has a chance of reaching the Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Egypt have a five-point advantage over Burkina Faso, and will be expected to sew up qualification with victory away against Djibouti on Wednesday (16:00 GMT).

The East Africans are bottom of the group and have only picked up one point from eight matches so far.

Should the Pharaohs fall to a shock defeat, they host Guinea-Bissau on Sunday.

Burkina Faso, who remain hot favourites to finish second, face a trip to Sierra Leone before hosting Ethiopia, but may well need maximum points from those games to stand a chance of reaching the play-offs.

Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau also harbour slim hopes of snatching second place.

Possible group winners: Egypt, Burkina Faso

Senegal seized the initiative in Group B by coming from 2-0 down to win in DR Congo last month, and now hold a one-point lead over the Leopards.

The Teranga Lions travel to bottom side South Sudan on Friday and then host Mauritania knowing that two wins will seal a third successive World Cup qualification.

DR Congo must hope the West Africans slip up while also securing maximum points themselves away against Togo and at home against Sudan.

Sudan must win both of their games and see Senegal lose twice to stand a chance of topping the group, but second remains a possibility if they beat the Congolese.

Possible group winners: Senegal, DR Congo, Sudan

The race for top spot is wide open after Fifa ruled that South Africa fielded the ineligible Teboho Mokoena against Lesotho.

A 2-0 win for Bafana Bafana in March has instead gone down as a 3-0 forfeit, wiping out what was a three-point lead at the top of the table.

Benin are now at the summit on goal difference, one goal ahead of South Africa, with Nigeria and Rwanda three points adrift but with a chance of qualifying.

Benin finish with trips to Rwanda and Nigeria, while Bafana go to Zimbabwe and then host Rwanda.

Three-time continental champions Nigeria open with an away game in Lesotho and must win both of their games, but even maximum points may not be enough to be one of the best second-placed finishers.

Possible group winners: Benin, South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, Lesotho

Cape Verde's shock 1-0 home victory over Cameroon last month has put the Atlantic Ocean islanders four points clear in the standings.

The Blue Sharks know that a win from either their trip to Libya on Wednesday (13:00 GMT) or their home clash against bottom side Eswatini next Monday will book a historic maiden qualification for the World Cup for a country with fewer than 530,000 inhabitants.

Cameroon could qualify on goal difference if they beat Mauritius away and Angola at home and Cape Verde draw both games - or if Cameroon pick up four points and the Cape Verdeans lose both games.

However, Libya are a point behind Cameroon and the North Africans can potentially finish top if results go their way.

Possible group winners: Cape Verde, Cameroon, Libya

Ivory Coast hold a one-point lead over Gabon after holding on for a 0-0 draw in Franceville in September.

The Elephants travel to the Seychelles on Friday (13:00 GMT) and then entertain Kenya next Tuesday.

Gabon face an away game against The Gambia and then host Burundi.

If they win both of those games and fail to overhaul the reigning continental champions then the Panthers look to be guaranteed a place in the play-offs.

Possible group winners: Ivory Coast, Gabon

The best four second-placed finishers across the nine groups will enter African play-offs in November.

Gabon, Madagascar, DR Congo and Burkina Faso have the best records after eight matches.

Yet, to ensure sporting integrity after Eritrea withdrew from Group E on the eve of the campaign beginning, the table ranking sides is expected to be adjusted to remove results against the sixth-placed finisher in each group.

That would change the standings - with Cameroon and South Africa the beneficiaries amid Madagascar and the Burkinabe dropping out of the top four.

However, neither Fifa nor the Confederation of African Football have made an official announcement on the matter.

Much could change over the final two rounds of qualifiers - especially given the fact that bottom place is yet to be decided in six of the groups, which would alter the rankings considerably.

The play-off format is also yet to be announced, but the overall winner will progress to intercontinental qualifiers scheduled for March next year.

Click here to read article