By Ngunyi Sonita Ngwohtazie
BUEA, Cameroon – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a revision to the qualification criteria for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, introducing new measures to fairly determine the best four runners-up in the African qualifiers.
In a circular issued to all member associations on Friday, CAF explained that the adjustment follows concerns over possible team withdrawals or disqualifications that could reduce the number of matches played in some groups.
Under the existing structure, 54 African countries are drawn into nine groups of six teams each. The winners of each group will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, while the four best second-placed teams will compete in a continental play-off, with the winner advancing to the intercontinental play-offs for a possible tenth African slot.
CAF said that when determining the best runners-up, results against the lowest-ranked or withdrawn teams in each group will not be counted. This approach is designed to ensure fairness across all groups, especially if some contain fewer teams than others.
The governing body also clarified that the same criteria outlined in Article 11.5 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary competition regulations will be used to rank the teams. In situations where a group loses more than one team due to withdrawal or disqualification, CAF will exclude an equivalent number of bottom-ranked teams from all other groups when comparing results.
The new guidelines, CAF said, will promote transparency and competitive balance as Africa prepares for the expanded World Cup, which will feature 48 teams and be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
With these updated rules, CAF aims to avoid discrepancies that could disadvantage teams in uneven groups, ensuring that qualification for the world’s biggest football tournament remains credible and equitable across the continent.
