Where does Caf clarification on second placed teams leave Uganda Cranes chances for 2026 World Cup
The top four of the nine group runners-up will compete in a single-leg knockout format in Morocco in November 2025 to determine which nation will represent Africa at the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off for the 2026 World Cup.
With Tuesday’s final round of matches confirming the nine teams to earn direct tickets to the 2026 World Cup, that won’t represent the end of the qualification campaign.
Following the expansion of the global event to 48-teams and African added more places, a chance for a 10th team also exists with the top four of the nine group runners-up set to progress to the intercontinental play off.
It means that the likes of Cameroon, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and perhaps even Nigeria who go into the final round not in the lead in their group will remain alive in the hunt for qualification as well as Uganda in Group G where Algeria sealed top spot.
How will the FOUR BEST second ranked team determined?
With the withdraw of Eritrea from Group E, CAF confirmed this week that in order to equilibrate the nine groups which left fewer points up for grabs for the teams in this group — points accrued against teams who finish bottom in each group will not be taken into account in the ranking of second-placed teams.
That means that teams’ rankings will be based on eight matches.
Where does Uganda stand at the moment?
At the moment, Uganda lies 7th on the table ranking the second placed teams with 12 points after deduction of six points and three goals in the home and away victories over bottom placed Somalia in group G.
Burkina Faso (15 pts, GD +6) and Niger (15 pts GD +1) in second and third placed positions have exhausted their matches but could be displaced by results in the final rounds.
Gabon (16 pts, GD +4) in first place and Cameroon (14 pts, GD +9) in fourth place are favourites to reach the play off if they win and their opponents Ivory Coast and Cape Verde in their respective groups also win.
What does Uganda Cranes need?
Uganda must beat Algeria by a margin of more than a single goal and hope others in contention falter including Nigeria who could be in the hunt should they beat Lesotho and South Africa win at home to Rwanda in the highly competitive group C.
How, when and where will the play offs take place?
The four best runners-up from the nine qualification groups will compete in Morocco for the final continental spot. The October FIFA World Rankings will be used to seed the teams as follows:
•Team 1: Highest-ranked nation
•Team 2: Second highest-ranked nation
•Team 3: Third highest-ranked nation
•Team 4: Lowest-ranked nation
The top-ranked team will face the lowest-ranked in the first semi-final, while the second and third-ranked teams will meet in the other semi-final.
Knockout Format and Match Rules
CAF confirmed that the play-off will follow a single-leg knockout format, hosted entirely in Morocco from 13 to 16 November 2025.
If a match ends in a draw after 90 minutes, extra time of two halves of 15 minutes will be played. If still level, the game will be decided by a penalty shootout.
Teams will be allowed a total of six substitutions — five during normal time and one in extra time.
The two semi-final winners will then meet in a final match to decide which nation represents Africa at the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off, where they will compete for one of the last available global slots at the 2026 World Cup
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