As the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup intensifies, African teams are gearing up for matchdays 5 and 6 of the qualifiers, set to commence on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
With nine group winners securing automatic qualification for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and the four best runners-up advancing to a playoff, every match in the upcoming fixtures will be decisive.
Group Standings and Key Fixtures
Group A: Egypt in Control
Egypt leads Group A with 10 points from four matches, followed by Guinea-Bissau (6 points), Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone (5 points each). Ethiopia (3 points) and Djibouti (1 point) trail at the bottom. Egypt, Africa’s most successful team in World Cup history, aims to extend its lead against Ethiopia on March 21.
Group B: Tight Battle Between Sudan and Senegal
Sudan tops Group B with 10 points, closely followed by Senegal (8 points) and DR Congo (7 points). A crucial fixture on March 22 against reigning African champions Senegal could reshape the standings. Sudan’s head coach stated, “We have worked hard to reach this point. Every match is like a final now.” Meanwhile, Senegal’s head coach, Aliou Cissé, remains confident that his team will reclaim the top spot.
Group C: Three-Way Tie at the Top
Rwanda, South Africa, and Benin are tied at seven points each, leaving Group C wide open. Nigeria, expected to dominate, is struggling in fifth place with just three points from four matches. Super Eagles coach José Peseiro acknowledged the team’s challenges, stating, “We need to be better. The players know the importance of these next games.” Nigeria faces a must-win match against Rwanda on March 21.
Group D: Cameroon, Libya, and Cape Verde in Close Contest
Cameroon leads with eight points, but Libya and Cape Verde are just one point behind, while Angola (6 points) remains in contention. Cameroon plays Eswatini on March 19 and will then take on Libya on March 25 in a decisive encounter.
Group E: Morocco Maintains Perfect Record Amid Off-Field Issues
Morocco tops Group E with a perfect record of nine points from three games, despite Eritrea’s withdrawal and Congo’s suspension due to government interference. The impact of these developments on qualification standings remains uncertain. Morocco faces Niger on March 21.
Group F: Ivory Coast Holds Slim Lead Over Gabon
Ivory Coast leads with 10 points, narrowly ahead of Gabon (9 points). Burundi (7 points) and Kenya (5 points) are also in contention. The Elephants will face Burundi on March 21 before meeting Gambia on March 24.
Group G: Algeria and Mozambique Neck-and-Neck
Algeria and Mozambique are tied at the top with nine points each, while Botswana, Guinea, and Uganda all have six points. Algeria’s match against Botswana on March 21 will be crucial.
Group H: Tunisia Closes in on Qualification
Tunisia remains unbeaten with 10 points, leading Namibia (8 points) and Liberia (7 points). The Carthage Eagles will face Liberia on March 19 before a crucial clash against Malawi on March 24. Tunisia’s head coach, Jalel Kadri, emphasized, “We are taking nothing for granted. Every match is important.”
Group I: Comoros and Ghana Stay Strong
Comoros and Ghana lead with nine points each, followed by Madagascar (7 points) and Mali (5 points). Ghana’s next match against Chad on March 21 will be a key moment in their campaign.
With only four runner-up teams advancing to the intercontinental playoff mini-tournament, Ghana, Gabon, Mozambique, and Senegal currently occupy the top spots. However, Namibia and South Africa remain in contention, depending on their upcoming results.
Upcoming Fixtures
Matchday 5
March 19, Wednesday
- Group D: Eswatini vs. Cameroon (16:00)
- Group H: Liberia vs. Tunisia (16:00)
- Group I: Central African Republic vs. Madagascar (16:00)
March 20, Thursday
- Group A: Sierra Leone vs. Guinea-Bissau (16:00)
- Group C: Zimbabwe vs. Benin (16:00)
- Group D: Cape Verde vs. Mauritius (16:00), Libya vs. Angola (19:00)
- Group F: Gabon vs. Seychelles, Gambia vs. Kenya (both 19:00)
- Group G: Mozambique vs. Uganda (13:00)
- Group H: Malawi vs. Namibia (16:00)
- Group I: Comoros vs. Mali (21:00)
March 21, Friday
- Group A: Burkina Faso vs. Djibouti (16:00), Ethiopia vs. Egypt (21:00)
- Group B: DR Congo vs. South Sudan (16:00)
- Group C: South Africa vs. Lesotho (16:00), Rwanda vs. Nigeria (16:00)
- Group E: Niger vs. Morocco (21:30)
- Group F: Burundi vs. Ivory Coast (19:00)
- Group G: Botswana vs. Algeria (13:00), Guinea vs. Somalia (21:00)
- Group H: Equatorial Guinea vs. São Tomé and Príncipe (13:00)
- Group I: Ghana vs. Chad (19:00)
March 22, Saturday
- Group B: Togo vs. Mauritania (16:00), Sudan vs. Senegal (19:00)
Matchday 6
March 23, Sunday
- Group D: Eswatini vs. Mauritius (13:00)
- Group F: Kenya vs. Gabon (13:00)
March 24, Monday
- Group A: Guinea-Bissau vs. Burkina Faso (16:00), Ethiopia vs. Djibouti (21:00)
- Group F: Ivory Coast vs. Gambia (19:00)
- Group H: Namibia vs. Equatorial Guinea (13:00), Liberia vs. São Tomé and Príncipe (16:00), Tunisia vs. Malawi (21:00)
- Group I: Central African Republic vs. Mali (16:00), Madagascar vs. Ghana (19:00)
March 25, Tuesday
- Group A: Egypt vs. Sierra Leone (19:00)
- Group B: Sudan vs. South Sudan (19:00), Mauritania vs. DR Congo (21:00), Senegal vs. Togo (21:00)
- Group C: Benin vs. South Africa, Nigeria vs. Zimbabwe, Rwanda vs. Lesotho (all 16:00)
- Group D: Angola vs. Cape Verde (16:00), Cameroon vs. Libya (19:00)
- Group E: Morocco vs. Tanzania (21:30)
- Group F: Burundi vs. Seychelles (19:00)
- Group G: Botswana vs. Somalia (13:00), Uganda vs. Guinea (16:00), Algeria vs. Mozambique (21:00)
- Group I: Comoros vs. Chad (21:00)
With the stakes higher than ever, African teams will battle for a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making these upcoming matchdays crucial in shaping the continent’s representatives on the world stage.
