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CAF has introduced a new format for qualification to the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico
There’s been confusion over which format CAF is using to determine the teams that will represent the continent at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by USA, Mexico and Canada.
Previously, the World Cup comprised 32 teams that ended with the Qatar 2022 finals.
In January 2017, the FIFA Council unanimously decided in favour of expanding the World Cup to a 48-team competition as of the 2026 edition.
The expansion brought about some complexities as FIFA figured out how to allocate the 16 extra slots.
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Slots allocation
In the 48-team World Cup 2026, three slots have been reserved for the three hosts – USA, Canada and Mexico.
Three more places have been reserved for the host confederation (CONCACAF) for the North and Central America and Caribbean association.
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Asia and Africa receive an additional four places to make it eight and nine, respectively. Europe gets three more to bring it to a total of 19, while South America and Oceania will have six and one to bring the total to 46 automatic slots.
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Intercontinental playoffs
The remaining two will be contested through intercontinental qualifiers.
Up to six teams, with at least one from each of the five confederations apart from UEFA, will take part in the FIFA playoff.
However, the six exclude Europe (UEFA), but North America will have the privilege of fielding an additional team as the host.
The two best-ranked nations from the six will be given a bye from the first round, where the remaining four will face each other in a knockout.
The two best-ranked will face the winners from the first-round knockout games, and the winners will qualify.
The FIFA mini-tournament will be played in the host stadiums to test their level of preparedness. This tournament will take place in March 2026.
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Uganda, Africa's path
CAF will conduct the draws for the African qualifiers on Thursday, 13th July, in Cotonou, Ivory Coast.
As earlier explained, the continent is assured of nine slots but will be able to challenge for one extra slot through the intercontinental playoff.
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First, CAF will create nine groups that will accommodate six teams making up the 54 members of the confederation.
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The teams will play in a round-robin format, with each honouring ten games; The winners from each group will qualify for the final tournament.
All 54 teams have been seeded in six different pots and a team will be selected per group in descending order in that two teams from the same pot will not meet.
“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,” CAF announced.
The four best runners-up from the groups will play in a mini-tournament to get the best who will advance to play in the FIFA Intercontinental playoffs.
The tournament will be held from November 10th to 18th, 2025.
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