Nigeria will face Gabon in the semi-finals of the African section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs on the 13th of November.

The Super Eagles sealed their play-off spot in style, thrashing Benin Republic 4–0 earlier in the day to finish as one of the four best runners-up. Gabon, meanwhile, clinched second place in Group F after a 2–0 win over Burundi, aided by Ivory Coast’s emphatic victory over Kenya, which saw the Elephants top the group.

Elsewhere, DR Congo secured qualification with a slim 1–0 win against Sudan to finish runners-up in Group B behind Senegal, while Cameroon booked their place after finishing second in Group D, trailing Cape Verde.

The four-team play-offs, featuring the best runners-up from the nine qualifying groups, will be staged in Morocco from November 13 to 16.

Nigeria, expected to remain the highest-ranked African nation among the quartet when FIFA releases its updated rankings on October 23, will meet Gabon, the lowest-ranked side in one semi-final. Cameroon and DR. Congo will battle it out in the other.

Both semi-finals are scheduled for November 13, with the winners facing off three days later in a single-leg final. The eventual winner will progress to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026 for a shot at qualifying for the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

All fixtures will be played as single-leg knockouts, with extra time and penalties to decide any drawn matches.

Morocco will host the mini-tournament, which offers Africa an additional chance to secure a tenth slot at the expanded 48-team World Cup.

All nine African group winners have already qualified directly for next year’s finals, while this play-off series will determine whether the continent can add one more representative through the intercontinental route.