Morocco Selected to Stage African Qualification Play-offs for 2026 World Cup

The Confederation of African Football has designated Morocco as the host nation for the play-off tournament that will determine Africa’s final representative in the inter-continental qualification stage for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The mini-tournament is scheduled to take place between 13 and 16 November 2025.

The continental football governing body notified all member associations of the decision, which sees Morocco entrusted with staging a crucial competition that will offer one African nation a pathway to the global tournament. The North African country, already confirmed as hosts for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, continues to strengthen its position as a preferred venue for major continental football events.

The play-off competition will bring together the four best runners-up from the African qualifying groups for the 2026 World Cup. In determining which teams qualify as the best runners-up, the confederation has stipulated that results against the sixth-placed sides in each group will be excluded from consideration.

The tournament will follow a direct elimination format, with two semi-final matches scheduled for 13 November 2025, followed by the final on 16 November 2025. The overall winner will progress to the inter-continental play-off stage, where they will compete against representatives from other confederations for a place at the World Cup finals.

The semi-final draw has been structured with the first-ranked runner-up facing the fourth-ranked runner-up in one semi-final, whilst the second-ranked runner-up will meet the third-ranked runner-up in the other. The winners of these matches will then contest the final to determine which nation advances to the next stage of qualification.

Should any match conclude level after regulation time, extra time will be played, with penalty shootouts employed if necessary to determine a winner. Teams participating in the tournament will be permitted five substitutions during regular play, with an additional sixth substitution allowed during extra time periods.

The selection of Morocco as host reflects the nation’s growing reputation as a reliable venue for major African football competitions. The country’s infrastructure and organisational capabilities have been demonstrated through its successful staging of numerous continental events in recent years.

With the hosting arrangements now confirmed, attention shifts to determining which four nations will participate in the play-off tournament. The ongoing qualification matches across the continent will determine the final standings in each group, with the best-performing runners-up earning their places in the November competition.

The victor of Morocco’s mini-tournament will join representatives from the Asian Football Confederation, the South American confederation, the Oceania confederation, and two nations from the North and Central American and Caribbean confederation in the inter-continental play-offs. These matches, scheduled for March 2026, will determine the final qualifiers for the expanded World Cup tournament.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature an expanded format with 48 participating nations, an increase from the traditional 32-team structure. Africa has been allocated nine automatic qualification places, with the possibility of a tenth representative emerging from the inter-continental play-offs.

Morocco’s appointment as hosts for the African play-offs represents another significant milestone in the nation’s football development. The country has previously demonstrated its ambition to host major tournaments, including unsuccessful bids for the FIFA World Cup itself.

The North African nation’s football infrastructure has undergone substantial development in recent years, with modern stadia and training facilities constructed across the country. These improvements have positioned Morocco as an increasingly attractive destination for international football competitions.

The November play-off tournament will generate significant interest across the continent, as it represents the final opportunity for an African nation to secure a place in the global tournament through the standard qualification process. The winner will carry the hopes of not only their own nation but potentially of the broader African football community as they progress to the inter-continental stage.

Teams that finish as group winners in the African qualifying competition will secure automatic qualification for the World Cup finals. The play-off tournament therefore represents a second chance for sides that narrowly missed out on direct qualification, offering them an alternative pathway to the global stage.

The confirmation of Morocco as hosts provides participating nations with clarity regarding preparations for the tournament. Teams will have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with conditions in Morocco as they plan their campaigns for the crucial matches that could determine their World Cup participation.

The staging of the play-offs in a single host nation rather than using home and away fixtures ensures a condensed tournament format, with all matches completed within a four-day window. This approach minimises disruption to domestic league schedules whilst creating an intense knockout competition atmosphere.