The 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualification campaign will begin in November as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has today released a road map to identify the continent’s representative to the 48-team showdown.
At its Executive Committee meeting held on Thursday in Algeria, CAF resolved that all the 54 Africa countries will participate in the competiti0n’s group stages which will have nine groups of six teams each.
The top team will automatically qualify for the World Cup.
Malawi will know their opponents for the campaign on Wednesday 12 July 2023 when the official draw will be held in Cotonou, Benin .
“The new format has been adapted in line with FIFA’s expanded FIFA World Cup format and will involve all the 54 Member Associations of CAF who will be divided into nine (9) Groups,” reads part of the communique from CAF.
“Winners of each Group will automatically qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The four best runners-up (from the Groups) will play in a CAF Play-Off tournament. The winner (CAF Play-Off tournament) will play in the FIFA Play-off Tournament.”
The first two matches will take place during the November 13-21, 2023 FIFA International match window with Match Day Three and Four set for 3-11 June 2024.
The qualifiers will run until November 2025 meaning that the teams will play at least 1o matches
