The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that Morocco will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs — a decisive mini-tournament that will determine which African team secures a place in the intercontinental play-offs.
According to CAF’s announcement, the semi-final fixtures will take place on November 13, 2025, while the final will be held on November 16, 2025, both in Morocco.
The competition will feature the four best second-placed teams from the nine CAF qualifying groups after Matchday 10, giving them a final shot at reaching the global showpiece.
CAF also disclosed that FIFA’s October 2025 world rankings, to be published on October 23, will be used to determine seedings for the draw. Under this format, the highest-ranked team will face the fourth-best, while the second- and third-ranked teams will battle in the other semifinal.
The eventual winner of the Morocco playoffs will advance to the intercontinental play-offs scheduled for March 2026, where they will meet an opponent from Asia, South America, Oceania, or CONCACAF for a place at the World Cup.
