By Kabiru Abdulrauf
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face Gabon in the semi-final stage of the continental play-offs for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The pairing follows the conclusion of Africa’s qualifying group stage on Tuesday, where Nigeria sealed second place in Group C after thrashing Benin Republic 4-0 in Uyo.
Gabon also booked their play-off spot after finishing second in Group F with a 2-0 win over Burundi, whileSouth Africa topped the group with 18 points, while Nigeria ended just behind with 17.
According to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, the first semi-final between Nigeria and Gabon will take place on Thursday, November 13, followed by the second semi-final between Cameroon and DR Congo on Friday, November 14.
The winners of both ties will meet in a decisive final on Sunday, November 16, with the victor advancing to the Intercontinental Play-Offs scheduled for March 2026 in Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico.
Other group leaders who secured direct progression include Ivory Coast, who topped Group E after defeating Kenya; Senegal, winners of Group B; and Cape Verde, who edged out Cameroon in Group D.
At the Intercontinental Play-Off tournament, six teams will contest two remaining tickets to the World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
The teams include Africa’s play-off winner, Bolivia, New Caledonia, the Asian play-off winner between Iraq and the UAE, and two of Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Panama.
For Nigeria, the road to North America remains alive, but they must first overcome Gabon and then win one last decisive tie to secure a return to football’s biggest stage.
