The Confederation of African Football (CAF) during its Executive Committee meeting in Algiers has approved a calendar schedule for Africa’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
CAF revealed that the road to the historic 2026 FIFA World Cup that will take place in the USA, Mexico and Canada will begin in November 2023 and end in March 2026, a few months before the tournament kick-off.
There will be nine groups of six teams, and the winners of each group automatically qualify for the World Cup while four second-placed teams with the best results will contest in a playoff, with the winner qualifying for the intercontinental play-offs.
Benin will host the draw of the 2026 World Cup African qualifiers on July 12, just before the 45th CAF Ordinary General Assembly in Cotonou.
CAF Executive Committee also announced that the group stage for the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations will take place in the Ivory Coast on October 12.
Ivory Coast will also host the 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League later this year to assess the country’s preparations for the 2023 AFCON which is scheduled to begin on January 13, 2024.
