2026 FIFA World Cup: Nigeria to face Gabon in African World Cup playoffs next month
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Last chance for Super Eagles to qualify for 2026 World Cup
Group C in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (CAF) was a proper spectacle. From shock results to docking points, this section delivered non-stop action, and heading into the final day, there were still three teams in the running for top spot.
In the end, it was South Africa that reigned supreme with a 3-0 victory over Rwanda, which took them above Benin, who lost by the same scoreline to Nigeria on the same day. The Super Eagles’ victory got them to second place in the group.
As it turned out, that win for Nigeria also kept their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup alive, as it was enough to see them earn a spot in the Playoffs as one of the best runners-up from the group stage, along with Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon.
The Playoff rules are simple - the highest-ranked team according to FIFA World Ranking will play the lowest-ranked, while second plays third. This means that Nigeria will face Gabon, and Cameroon are set to take on DR Congo. Both games will be covered in our World Cup livescores.
These matches will be staged on November 13 (semi-final) and contested on a straight knockout basis. The final is scheduled for November 16, and the winner will represent Africa in the Intercontinental Playoffs against teams from the AFC, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL and Oceania regions.
Nigeria cancel November friendlies due to World Cup Playoffs
The CAF 2026 World Cup Playoffs will be held in Morocco next month, which has created a slight scheduling issue for Nigeria, as they were carded to face Venezuela and Colombia on November 14 and 18, respectively.
Given the massive importance of their Playoff games, the Nigerian Football Federation have now confirmed that the originally planned friendlies have been shelved. In an interview with the media, an NFF official said:
"We had a clause in the contract for the games covering this eventuality, if we qualified for the playoffs. So we will not be going ahead with the matches any more. Our goal is to concentrate on the playoffs now and qualify from Africa and then focus on the intercontinental playoffs."
While the primary goal for the Super Eagles is to win both games next month to progress to the Intercontinental Playoffs, it will also serve as crucial preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off in Morocco in December.
