The African countries’ drawings for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers have been released. In a revised FIFA tournament structure, seven East African countries find out their fate.
The draw took place on Thursday, July 13, in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, and was overseen by Confederation of African Football director of competitions Samson Adamu, as well as Ghanaian football legend Asamoah Gyan and former Cote d’Ivoire international Emmanuel Eboue.
54 countries will compete to qualify for the global football showpiece, which will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America. And most EAC members have never qualified for this major football event, with only the Democratic Republic of the Congo making it in 1974.
Burundi’s swallows will take on the Harambe stars of Kenya in the East African derby following a draw made during the CAF annual session. Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, and Seychelles round up Group F of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Tanzania’s national football team, the Taifa Stars, must overcome Morocco, Zambia, Congo, and Niger in Group E if they are to compete in the World Cup for the first time.
Amavubi of Rwanda have been grouped alongside South Africa, Nigeria, Benin Republic, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho in Group C, while Uganda cranes have been pitted against the likes of Algeria and Guinea in the group G alongside Mozambique, Botswana, and Somalia
DR Congo and Senegal are set to clash as the Leopards and Teranga lions are drawn in the same group. However, they must overcome a significant challenge in Group B, which includes Mauritania, Togo, Sudan, and South Sudan.
For the first time in tournament history, the World Cup in 2026 will feature 48 teams.
With new qualification structure, the nine groups will play in a home-and-away round-robin format, with the group winners qualifying automatically for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the four best group runners-up competing in a play-off stage for a possible African 10th slot in the 2026 World Cup.
The African qualification series for the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins in November 2023.
Full draw:
Group A: Egypt, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Djibouti
Group B: Senegal, Congo DR, Mauritania, Togo, Sudan, South Sudan
Group C: Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Lesotho
Group D: Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Angola, Libya, Eswatini, Mauritius
Group E: Morocco, Zambia, Congo, Tanzania, Niger, Eritrea
Group F: Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Kenya, The Gambia, Burundi, Seychelles
Group G: Algeria, Guinea, Uganda, Mozambique, Botswana, Somalia
Group H: Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Malawi, Liberia, São Tomé and Príncipe
Group I: Mali, Ghana, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Comoros, and Chad
