By Saidu Abubakar
The recent draws for FIFA World Cup qualification marks the commencement of the journey towards the quadrennial tournament’s 2026 edition to be jointly held in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. A total of nine slots in the final tournament and one inter-confederation play-off slots are reserved for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) teams.
The draws were on Thursday, 13th July, 2023 unveiled in Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s commercial capital just hours after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) General Assembly ended.
There are nine groups of six being drawn, which also means that for the first time the African continent will be represented by at least nine countries in the World Cup finals. This is a consequence of the new competition format adopted by the world Football ruling body.
Long-time rivals Nigeria and South Africa will again lock horns in Group C, which includes Zimbabwe, whose FIFA ban for ‘government interference in football’ was lifted. The Warriors have now been given the green light to participate in the tournament after having their 18-month suspension slammed by FIFA, now lifted. Others in the group include Benin, Rwanda and Lesotho.
A total of 54 African nations were split into nine groups of six, to slug it out for ticket to qualify to feature in the 2026 world football highest contest.
With the number of finalists expanding from 32 in Qatar to 48 in North and Central America, Africa are guaranteed a record nine places, and possibly 10.
On May 18, CAF altered the qualifying procedure at its Executive Committee meeting in Algiers.
Morocco became the first African or Arab country to reach the World Cup semi-finals last December in Qatar before losing to France, and finished fourth. They feature in Group E alongside Zambia, Niger, Congo, Tanzania, and Eritrea with whom they will compete with to secure a spot in the fiesta.
Djibouti will play the opening match of the qualifiers, as part of Group A. Ethiopia joins Djibouti in the group, along with Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso, and Egypt.
With Europe-based stars like Yassine Bounou, AchrafHakimi, Sofyan Amrabat and Youssef en-Nesyriavailable, they look likely winners of the section with Zambia posing the greatest threat.
Morocco are the highest-placed African team in the latest FIFA rankings, ahead of Cup of Nations title-holders Senegal with Tunisia third.
Senegal are in Group B and the biggest danger to them is likely to come from the rapidly improving Democratic Republic of Congo, who played in the 1974 World Cup, then known as Zaire.
Like Morocco, Sadio Mane-inspired Senegal are seeking a third consecutive appearance at the four-yearly global showpiece, with the next edition set for mid-2026.
Tunisia are in Group H with Equatorial Guinea, a rising force in Africa who beat the North Africans in a Cup of Nations qualifier last month.
Ghana, who made an early exit in Qatar, will fancy their chances of finishing first in Group I above Mali, the only first seeds who have not qualified for the World Cup.
Cameroun, who hold the African record for World Cup qualification with eight appearances, have been poor in recent Cup of Nations matches, offering hope to Cape Verde and Angola in Group D.
Algeria, who lost out to Cameroun for a place in Qatar, appear likely winners of Group G with unpredictable Guinea probably the main challengers.
Ivory Coast, hosts of the next Cup of Nations in January and February 2024, are another country who will be satisfied with the draw.
The biggest threat to the three-time World Cup qualifiers could come not from second seeds Gabon, but from shock 2021 Cup of Nations quarter-finalists Gambia.
Egypt have won the Cup of Nations a record seven times, but often struggle to qualify for the World Cup, reaching the final only three times.
They are in Group A, where Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bissau could trouble the Mohamed Salah-captained Pharaohs.
Each group winner will qualify automatically and the best four runners-up enter play-offs with the winner going to inter-confederation play-offs, with two places up for grabs.
Apart from an African team, the confederation play-offs will include two teams from North/Central America and one each from Asia, South America and Oceania.
Matchdays one and two in Africa will be played this November, with a further two rounds next year and six in 2025.
GROUPS:
Group A: Egypt, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Djibouti.
Group B: South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Mauritania, Congo DR, and Senegal.
Group C: Rwanda, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Benin, South Africa, and Nigeria.
Group D: Mauritius, Eswatini, Libya, Angola, Cape Verde, and Cameroun.
Group E: Eritrea, Niger, Congo, Tanzania, Zambia, and Morocco.
Group F: Gambia, Kenya, Burundi, Seychelles, Gabon, and Cote d’Ivoire.
Group G: Mozambique, Somalia, Uganda, Botswana, Guinea, and Algeria.
Group H: Namibia, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe, Malawi, Equatorial Guinea, and Tunisia.
Group I: Chad, Madagascar, Comoros, Central African Republic, Ghana, and Mali.