African contenders for the 2026 FIFA World Cup now have a clearer picture of their potential paths after FIFA on Tuesday released the draw procedure for the expanded 48-team tournament.

The reveal has triggered fresh calculations among CAF nations, particularly Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa, all of whom occupy key seedings ahead of the December 5 draw in Washington.

Crucially, the revised format ensures that the world’s top four teams — Spain, Argentina, France and England — cannot meet before the semi-finals provided they all win their groups. That creates a more predictable bracket for African sides hoping to avoid early clashes with global heavyweights in the group or early knockout phase.

Morocco Lead Africa’s Charge in Pot 2

Africa’s highest-ranked team, Morocco, headline the continent’s representation in Pot 2, joining Croatia, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria and Australia.
The Atlas Lions — World Cup semi-finalists in 2022 — will be looking closely at how the pot structure could determine their route as they aim for another historic run.

Senegal, Africa’s second-highest placed team in the pot, also benefit from a relatively favourable seeding that should help them avoid the strongest UEFA and CONMEBOL sides in the group stage.

Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Cote d’Ivoire in Tricky Pot 3

The North African trio of Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia, along with Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa, find themselves in Pot 3, where potential matchups get far more unpredictable.
This group could be drawn against giants like Spain or Argentina in the opening round, or placed in comparatively balanced groups depending on where Pot 1 and Pot 2 teams fall.

For Tunisia and Cote d’Ivoire—regular World Cup qualifiers—the priority will be avoiding early pairings with two European teams, a scenario made possible by UEFA’s expanded 16-team participation.

Ghana, Cape Verde and Potential Play-Off Winners in Pot 4

Ghana and Cape Verde are among the African nations listed in Pot 4, alongside Jordan, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand and winners from the FIFA Play-Offs.
The pot also leaves room for two African hopefuls who may emerge from the intercontinental play-off tournament.

As the lowest-seeded African participants, Ghana and Cape Verde face the prospect of entering challenging groups with as many as two top-20 teams — one from Pot 1 and another from Pot 2.

Confederation Rules Still Apply

FIFA’s confederation restriction remains in force:

• No group can feature more than one team from the same confederation, except UEFA, which is permitted to have two teams in a group due to its 16 representatives.
  For CAF teams, this means avoiding each other in the group stage, but also increases the likelihood of exposure to multiple European opponents.

Countdown to the Draw

The World Cup draw will take place on December 5 in Washington, with the full match schedule — including venues and kick-off times — to be released a day later.

The tournament itself kicks off June 11, 2026, across Canada, Mexico and the United States, with the final set for July 19 in New Jersey.

For Africa’s representatives, the unveiling of the draw format marks the beginning of strategic planning, tactical mapping and renewed hopes of surpassing the continent’s impressive 2022 milestone.

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Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will be able to play his side’s opening matches at next year’s World Cup after FIFA suspended the final two games of a three-match ban on Tuesday.

Ronaldo was sent off in Portugal’s penultimate qualifying match against Ireland in Dublin earlier this month for an elbow into the back of Dara O’Shea during a 2-0 defeat.

The red card meant Ronaldo missed Portugal’s final group game, a 9-1 win over Armenia which secured qualification, and FIFA confirmed that the 40-year-old had been given a three-match ban, but barring a repeat incident, he will not serve any further punishment.

“In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the serving of the two remaining matches has been suspended under a one-year probation period,” a FIFA statement said.

“If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked and the remaining two matches must be served immediately at the next official match(es) of the Portuguese representative team.”

Article 27 allows FIFA’s judicial body “to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure”.

Beyond citing article 27, FIFA did not say in its statement why the ban had been suspended. Reuters has contacted FIFA for an explanation.

The red card, which was upgraded from an initial yellow card after a VAR check, was Ronaldo’s first in 226 international appearances for Portugal.

Ronaldo, who extended his contract with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr until 2027 in June, will be playing at his sixth World Cup finals and targeting the one major trophy missing from his list of honours.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward was part of Portugal’s Euro 2016-winning team, and has also won two Nations League titles and is the record scorer in international football with 143 goals.

The draw for the 2026 World Cup, which takes place in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, will be held on December 5 in Washington.

-REUTERS

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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has been handed a favourable draw that will see the African country playing just a match in the Intercontinental Play-Off or the 2026 World Cup qualification.

The team that edged Nigeria out can seize their moment after Thursday’s inter-confederation playoff draw placed them one win away from a historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

As one of the two seeded teams in the six-nation tournament, DR Congo advanced directly to the final of Pathway 1, where they will face either New Caledonia or Jamaica in March in Guadalajara or Monterrey, Mexico.

For Congolese fans still celebrating their dramatic victory over Nigeria in the African qualifying playoffs, the draw represents a realistic route to their first-ever World Cup appearance.

 DR Congo defeated continental giants Nigeria 4–3 on penalties after a tense 1–1 draw, keeping alive their long-held ambition of reaching football’s biggest stage.

A Pathway Full of Possibilities

In Pathway 1, New Caledonia will face Jamaica in the semi-final, with the winner taking on DR Congo in the final. Jamaica, who failed to secure direct qualification after dropping crucial points against Curaçao, have been plunged into uncertainty following the resignation of head coach Steve McClaren. New Caledonia will be seeking a rare global breakthrough.

Observers say either opponent presents challenges, but Congo’s recent form and rising confidence give them an edge.

Momentum on Congo’s Side

Congo’s strong defensive organisation and ability to hold their nerve under pressure were on display during their playoff triumph over Nigeria. The squad also carries the motivation of a nation longing to return to global football relevance.

A DR Congo victory in March would mark an extraordinary milestone, ending decades of near-misses and disappointment in African World Cup qualifying history.

The Bigger Picture

The inter-confederation playoff tournament features six teams from CAF, AFC, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL and OFC. Seeded alongside DR Congo, Iraq progressed directly to the final of Pathway 2, where they will face the winner between Bolivia and Suriname. Iraq are attempting to qualify for their first World Cup since their 1986 debut.

A separate UEFA playoff draw was also conducted, with 16 European teams battling for four remaining spots.

Inter-Confederation Playoff Draw (From DR Congo’s Pathway)
PATHWAY 1
Semi-final: New Caledonia vs Jamaica
Final: DR Congo vs Winner of SF1

As March approaches, confidence is growing in Kinshasa and beyond. For DR Congo, the pathway is clear, the dream is alive — and history beckons.