The Super Eagles now face a playoff mini-tournament in November 2025, competing with other top runners-up from Africa and teams from other continents for just two remaining World Cup spots.- This marks a critical moment: Nigeria is desperate to avoid missing consecutive World Cups for the first time since their debut in 1994.
Nigeria has not yet secured qualification, but the Super Eagles remain firmly in contention after clinching a spot in the African Playoffs, where one African team will advance to the Inter-Confederation Playoffs.
Nigeria’s Path to the World Cup
qualification now depends on a two-stage challenge:
Win the African Playoffs to qualify for the Inter-Confederation Playoffs.
Win their bracket in the Inter-Confederation Playoffs to book a ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
The Super Eagles, who last appeared at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, are aiming to return to the global stage after missing the 2022 edition in Qatar.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) playoff for the 2026 World Cup will involve the four best runners-up from the initial group stage and will be held in November 2025. The winner of this knockout tournament will advance to the final inter-confederation playoffs for an additional chance at qualification.
Here is a breakdown of how the CAF playoffs will be played:
Tournament structure
Participants: The four best teams that finished second in their respective qualifying groups will enter the playoffs.
Ranking: The four teams will be ranked based on the FIFA World Rankings released at the end of October 2025.
Semi-finals: The semi-final matchups will be determined by this ranking:
Match 1: The highest-ranked team will play the lowest-ranked team.
Match 2: The second-highest-ranked team will play the third-highest-ranked team.
Final: The winners of the two semi-final matches will play each other.
Venue: All playoff matches will be one-off games played on neutral ground in Morocco.
The inter-confederation play-off
The winner of the CAF playoff tournament will not automatically qualify for the World Cup. Instead, they will represent Africa in a final, six-team inter-confederation playoff tournament in March 2026. This tournament will determine the final two spots at the World Cup.
The African Playoffs will feature four teams competing in a semi-final and final format. The participating nations are:
The matchups will be determined based on FIFA rankings, pairing the highest-ranked team against the lowest-ranked, and the second highest-ranked against the third highest-ranked.
The winner of the final will progress to the Inter-Confederation Playoffs, keeping Africa’s hopes alive for an additional World Cup slot.
Inter-Confederation Playoffs Overview
The Inter-Confederation Playoffs, scheduled for March 2026, will determine the final two qualification spots for the World Cup. The format includes two brackets, each consisting of a semi-final and final.
Confirmed Teams So Far:
Bolivia (South America)
New Caledonia (Oceania)
Yet to Qualify:
1 from Africa (via the African Playoffs)
1 from Asia
2 from North America
The two winners from these brackets will complete the 48-team lineup for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
