Morocco will host the 2026 World Cup African Play-Off Tournament, CAF confirms

Morocco will host the final African play-off in November 2025, which will decide the continent’s final World Cup spot, according to CAF.

Morocco will host the major African play-off event for the 2026 World Cup, which is set for November 2025, according to an official confirmation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The winner of the mini-tournament will be the last African country to qualify for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada through the intercontinental play-offs.

The governing organization, CAF, announced in a statement signed by Samson Adamu, Director of Competitions and Events, that the semi-finals will take place on November 13, 2025, and the final on November 16, 2025.

Morocco has been chosen to host this important last qualifying round, and it will also host the Africa Cup of Nations.

As determined by the standings after the tenth and final round of qualification matches, which is set for mid-October 2025, the competition will include the four best runners-up from the nine African qualifying groups.

The seedings for the semi-final draw will be determined by the official FIFA global rankings as of October 23, 2025, according to CAF.

The format described states that “the top-ranked team will play the fourth-ranked team, and the second-ranked country will play the third.”

The winner of the final will advance to represent Africa in the intercontinental play-offs in March 2026, with the two semi-final winners facing off.

With a number of countries still in the running, including Burkina Faso, Gabon, Madagascar, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as other possible dark horses, competition for this coveted position is anticipated to be intense.

Every aspect, from seeding to preparation, will be extremely important for the participating teams because there is only one spot available for the intercontinental stage.

In the global play-off stage, the Moroccan tournament champion will play a side from Asia, South America, Oceania, or CONCACAF.

The victor of that match will guarantee Africa’s tenth and last spot at the 2026 World Cup.

This competition offers a final chance for many countries to make history and compete against the best in football on the continent’s grandest platform, serving as a symbol of both opportunity and redemption.