2026 FIFA World Cup: Will Eagles top their group or turn us into calculator buyers

Nigeria and South Africa were drawn in the same World Cup qualifying group on Thursday in a re-shaped African competition that will lead to at least nine teams at the 2026 showpiece in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

The enlarged 48-team World Cup in three years’ time means Africa’s places are up from five to nine, with the possibility of a 10th African team making it through an inter-continental playoff.

In the new African format, just the winners of the nine six-team groups are guaranteed a place at the World Cup. The four best second-place teams enter African playoffs and the one that comes through those makes it to an inter-continental mini-tournament, where the two final teams at the World Cup will be decided.

World Cup semifinalist Morocco, the first African or Arab team to make the last four after its surprising run in Qatar last year, is in a group where its sternest tests will likely come from 2012 African champion Zambia and Niger.

A total of 54 African nations were split into nine groups of six, with the journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to be staged across Canada, Mexico, and the United States scheduled to begin in November.

Zimbabwe has been drawn in Group C along with Nigeria and South Africa as well as Benin, Rwanda, and Lesotho.

Morocco, who made history by becoming the first African country to reach the World Cup semi-finals following their run at Qatar 2022, will begin their campaign in Group E.

Zambia, Congo, Tanzania, Niger, and Eritrea have also been placed in Morocco’s group.

Reigning African Cup of Nations champions Senegal headline Group B which features the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritania, Togo, Sudan, and South Sudan.

Egypt has been placed in Group A along with Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.

Cameroon will be hoping to qualify for another World Cup having been dropped in Group D alongside Cape Verde, Angola, Libya, Eswatini, and Mauritius.

Group F comprises Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, The Gambia, Burundi, and Seychelles, while Group G includes Algeria, Guinea, Uganda, Mozambique, Botswana, and Somalia.

Tunisia will aim to top Group H which also features Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Malawi, Liberia, and Sao Tome and Principe.

Mali and Ghana have been named in Group I along with Madagascar, Central African Republic, Comoros, and Chad.

Matches are due to run from November 13 in 2023 to October 14 in 2025, with the winners of each group automatically qualifying for the World Cup.

The four best runners-up will go into a CAF playoff tournament, scheduled to be held in November 2025, with the winner advancing to the FIFA playoff tournament, due to be staged in March 2026, that could see Africa secure a 10th slot at the World Cup.