The final round of the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup is expected to witness an exciting battle for direct qualification spots, with Senegal competing against the Democratic Republic of Congo, while the race between Ivory Coast and Gabon intensifies. Ivory Coast is close to securing its World Cup spot after a crushing 7-0 win over Seychelles in a match dominated by coach Emerss Faye’s squad.

In Group B, Senegal continued its dominance with a comfortable win over South Sudan, remaining the top favorite to lead the group. Meanwhile, a rocket shot from Cedric Bakambu kept the Democratic Republic of Congo in the competition by securing a valuable win that preserved their qualification hopes.

South Sudan lost 5-0 to Senegal, who raised their tally to 21 points at the top and now need just one win against Mauritania next Tuesday to officially qualify for the World Cup. Togo lost 1-0 to the Democratic Republic of Congo, which holds second place with 19 points but has limited chances due to goal difference. They need to win their next match against Sudan and hope Senegal slips against Mauritania to secure direct qualification. Sudan’s hopes of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in history faded after a goalless draw with Mauritania in a neutral venue match held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

In Group C, Nigeria revived its qualification chances after a tough 2-1 win over Lesotho in an exciting match. Nigeria is third with 14 points. South Africa left disappointed after a goalless draw with Zimbabwe, the group’s bottom team, in a match held in Durban. South Africa is second with 15 points. Rwanda lost 1-0 to Benin, which took a huge step toward securing its first-ever World Cup participation, topping the group with 17 points. Benin will secure a World Cup spot if they win their next match against Nigeria scheduled for next Tuesday.

In Group F, Seychelles suffered a heavy 7-0 defeat against Ivory Coast, conceding 39 goals in 8 matches. Ivory Coast strengthened its lead in the group, reaching 23 points, just one point ahead of second-placed Gabon, which won 4-3 against Gambia. This makes Ivory Coast’s qualification almost certain with one round remaining in the qualifiers.

In Group H, Tunisia defeated hosts Sao Tome and Principe 6-0, confirming their status as one of Africa’s strongest teams after a perfect winning streak. The team, led by coach Sami Trabelsi, has dropped only two points out of a possible 27.