Nigeria’s Super Eagles are set to clash with Gabon in the semi-finals of the African play-offs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as they fight for a chance to represent the continent in the expanded tournament. The match, scheduled for 13 November 2025, forms part of a mini-tournament involving four nations, with the ultimate winner advancing to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026.
The announcement came on Wednesday from the Super Eagles, who revealed: “Our opponents for the African World Cup play-off semi-final are Gabon. Win here, reach the final, and then the inter-confederation play-offs await.” This pathway offers Nigeria a lifeline after they finished second in their qualifying group, behind South Africa, who secured direct qualification with a victory over Rwanda on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles booked their spot in the play-offs with a convincing 4-0 win against Benin Republic, highlighted by a hat-trick from star striker Victor Osimhen. Gabon, meanwhile, advanced as runners-up in Group F following a 2-0 triumph over Burundi, aided by Ivory Coast’s win against Kenya to top the group.
The play-offs will be hosted in Morocco on neutral ground, with both semi-final matches taking place in early November. Alongside Nigeria versus Gabon on 13 November, Cameroon will face the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in the other semi-final, potentially on 14 November. The winners will meet in the final on 16 November, where the victor will earn Africa’s additional berth in the inter-continental play-offs, to be held in Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico.
Cameroon qualified by finishing second in Group D behind Cape Verde, while DR Congo secured their place with a 1-0 victory over Sudan, placing them behind Senegal in Group B. The pairings were determined based on FIFA rankings, pitting the highest-ranked team (Nigeria) against the lowest (Gabon), and the second-highest (Cameroon) against the second-lowest (DR Congo).
Africa has already seen nine teams qualify directly as group winners for the 2026 World Cup, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The play-off winner will join representatives from other confederations, including Bolivia, New Caledonia, and teams from Asia and CONCACAF, in a six-team tournament vying for two remaining spots.
For Nigeria, this represents a critical opportunity to return to the World Cup stage after missing out on the 2022 edition in Qatar. The Super Eagles will be hoping to leverage their recent form and Osimhen’s goal-scoring prowess to navigate the challenging path ahead.
