Nigeria To Face Gabon As CAF Confirms Fixtures For 2026 FIFA World Cup Play-Offs In Morocco

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has revealed the fixtures and venues for the highly anticipated African Qualifiers of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Inter-Continental Play-off tournament. 

The event, set to take place in Rabat, Morocco, between 13 and 16 November 2025, will feature four powerhouse nations Nigeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), and Gabon.

CAF and the Moroccan Football Federation officially confirmed that the mini-tournament will serve as the final African qualifier for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The winner will earn a coveted place in the FIFA Inter-Continental Play-Off in March 2026, where Africa’s 10th and final World Cup slot will be decided.

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The opening semi-final clash will see Nigeria take on Gabon at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT) on Thursday, 13 November.

The match will take place at either El Barid Stadium or Prince Moulay El Hassan Sports Complex, with a draw scheduled for 30 October 2025 to confirm the venues for each game.

Later that same evening, Cameroon will face the Democratic Republic of Congo in another high-stakes encounter at 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT).

The champions of the mini-tournament will earn the right to represent Africa in the FIFA Inter-Continental Play-Off in March 2026 — a final opportunity to qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup to be held across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

CAF confirmed that the final match will be played on Sunday, 16 November 2025, at Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT), under the bright Moroccan floodlights that will host Africa’s final World Cup hopefuls.

Nigeria’s “Super Eagles,” looking to make a record seventh World Cup appearance, will be eager to prove their pedigree after narrowly missing out on automatic qualification. 

Their opponents, Gabon, will hope to spring a surprise with their talented generation, while Cameroon and DR Congo promise an equally fiery contest in the second semi-final.