World Cup
African qualifiers to provide seven more World Cup finalists
Africa’s group qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup conclude over the next week, providing seven more finalists for the tournament in North America.
With two rounds of group matches still to be played, Morocco and Tunisia are already guaranteed top place in their respective groups, while the identity of the seven other group winners – all of whom will earn an automatic place at the 2026 finals – will be finalised by next Tuesday.
Egypt are expected to secure their berth on Wednesday when they take on lowly Djibouti in Group A, while Ghana will win Group I on the same day if they beat the Central African Republic away from home and closest rivals Madagascar falter at the same time.
Algeria need a point from their penultimate Group G clash against Somalia on Thursday to add their name to the list.
In Group D, the tiny Cape Verde Islands have a four-point lead over second-placed Cameroon and therefore need to win one of their last two qualifiers to snatch a fairytale berth at the finals.
Cape Verde are away to Libya on Thursday and finish their campaign at home to Eswatini next Monday.
Senegal are handily placed in Group B with a two-point lead over the Democratic Republic of Congo and qualify if they win their last two matches, away against South Sudan on Friday and then home to Mauritania next Tuesday.
It is also clear what the Ivory Coast need to do in Group F to keep up their one-point advantage over Gabon. They will qualify if they win away to the lowly-ranked Seychelles on Friday and then at home to Kenya on October 14.
SOUTH AFRICA BUNGLE THREE-POINT ADVANTAGE
In Group C, South Africa had a three-point lead but points were stripped last week for fielding a defaulter in March, leaving them now trailing Benin on goal difference.
Benin, however, play their last two qualifiers away to Rwanda on Friday and Nigeria next Tuesday while South Africa are at home to Zimbabwe on Friday and Rwanda next Tuesday.
The clash against neighbours Zimbabwe is formally an away game but because they do not have a stadium that has been deemed suitable for use in international competition, Zimbabwe have elected to take the fixture to Durban, handing South Africa a major advantage.
At the weekend, their Belgian coach Hugo Broos took responsibility for the bungle that saw South Africa field midfielder Teboho Mokoena when he should have been suspended.
“I am responsible. I am the coach, I had to know that this guy had two yellow cards. So, stop with it,” he said of the ongoing outrage from South African fans.
“Just focus on the two games remaining now and support us. We will do everything to win these games, and for me, it’s an extra motivation.”
-Reuters
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Nigeria’s national team faces a delicate balancing act ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash against Lesotho on Friday at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa.
Head coach Eric Chelle has called up 23 players for the final two qualifiers this month, but nine of them are already on FIFA’s caution list.
Worryingly for the Super Eagles, at least eight of those players are potential starters in the must-win encounter against Lesotho.
A single yellow card in Polokwane would see any of the cautioned players suspended for Nigeria’s decisive final group fixture at home against Benin Republic. With Group C’s qualifying race wide open, the consequences could be severe.
More worrisome is the fact that Nigeria avoided picking yellow card in just one of their last eight World Cup qualifying matches. The exception was the home game against Zimbabwe last March in Uyo.
Currently, just three points separate group leaders from fourth-placed Rwanda, setting up a tense finish. If Rwanda defeat Benin at home, they would move level on 14 points.
Should Zimbabwe shock South Africa, and Nigeria overcome Lesotho, as many as four teams could end Friday tied on 14 points.
The final matchday is already shaping up to be a blockbuster, with Nigeria hosting Benin and South Africa taking on Rwanda in fixtures that will likely determine the group’s sole automatic World Cup ticket.
For Friday’s match, Lesotho have little at stake, but they could play spoilers against Mali’s qualification hopes. For the Super Eagles, the strategy is clear: “Avoid cards in Polokwane to be eligible for the Benin showdown.”
Super Eagles’ 12 players on caution list in World Cup qualifiers
- 1. Semi Ajayi, cautioned in the 54th minute of Nigeria v Lesotho on 16 November 2023.
- 2. Calvin Bassey, cautioned in the 45th minute of Zimbabwe v Nigeria on 19 November 2023.
- 3. Jamilu Collins, cautioned in the 87th minute of Zimbabwe v Nigeria on 19 November 2023.
- 4. Umar Sadiq, cautioned in the 90th minute of Zimbabwe v Nigeria on 19 November 2023.
- 5. Bright Osayi-Samuel, cautioned in the 16th minute of Nigeria v South Africa on 7 June 2024.
- 6. Sodiq Ismaila, cautioned in the 90+3rd minute of Benin v Nigeria on 10 June 2024.
- 7. Wilfred Ndidi, cautioned in the 49th minute of Rwanda v Nigeria on 21 March 2025.
- 8. Alex Iwobi, cautioned in the 90th minute of Rwanda v Nigeria on 21 March 2025.
- 9. Tolu Arokodare, cautioned in the 90+3rd minute of Rwanda v Nigeria on 21 March 2025.
- 10. Stanley Nwabali, cautioned in the 25th minute of Nigeria v Rwanda on 6 September 2025.
- 11. Ademola Lookman, cautioned in the 18th minute of South Africa v Nigeria on 9 September 2025.
- 12. Bruno Onyemaechi, cautioned in the 90th minute of South Africa v Nigeria on 9 September 2025.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
For the third time in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series, Chadian referee Alhadi Allaou Mahamat has been appointed to officiate a match involving Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
Allaou, who handled Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with South Africa in Uyo last year and the 1-0 victory over Rwanda at the same venue last month, will take charge of next week’s clash between Nigeria and Lesotho’s Crocodiles.
The Matchday 9 encounter will be staged at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa, on Friday, October 10, 2025, with kickoff set for 6pm local time (5pm Nigeria time).
He will be assisted by compatriots Bogola Issa (Assistant Referee 1) and Moussa Hafiz (Assistant Referee 2), while Abdelkerim Ousmane will serve as the Fourth Official.
FIFA has also appointed Alice Damaris Kimani from Kenya as Referee Assessor, and William Makinati Shongwe of eSwatini as Match Commissioner.
Currently sitting three points behind Group C leaders Benin Republic and South Africa, the Super Eagles will be seeking a crucial victory in Polokwane to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico next summer.
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An Iranian newspaper, Tehran Times, has reported that the United States government has refused to issue entry visas to Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation (FFIRI), Amir Ghalenoei, head coach of the national team, and seven other officials ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony.
Iran, which has already booked its place at next year’s tournament, was expected to have senior officials present at the high-profile event. However, the visa denial has raised diplomatic concerns, given the political sensitivities between both nations.
According to the Tehran Times, Taj — who also serves as Vice President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) — has lodged a formal complaint to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, seeking intervention on the matter.
Taj is believed to have a cordial working relationship with Infantino, who has reportedly taken up the issue with U.S. authorities. There is optimism that some of the affected Iranian officials may still receive visas before the draw, following FIFA’s involvement.
Earlier in September, Infantino had personally assured members of the Iranian national team that FIFA would make every effort to resolve any visa-related challenges ahead of the World Cup events in North America, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico next summer.
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