2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
Rwanda, Ethiopia set to kick start FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers
Two teams from the CECAFA Zone Ethiopia and Rwanda will face separate opponents as the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers for Africa kick-off on Wednesday.
The Amavubi of Rwanda under new coach Torsten Frank Spittler will hosts the Warriors of Zimbabwe in a Group C match at the Huye Stadium on Wednesday.
Spittler has made it clear that although Zimbabwe has just had their FIFA suspension lifted and have not played competitive International football in a while, they should not be taken lightly.
Ethiopia will also take on Sierra Leone in a Group A match they will host at the El-Abdi Stadium in Morocco. Gebremedhin Haile who was appointed few days ago will be in-charge of the Ethiopian team that will be eager to make a good start.
On Thursday Five teams from the CECAFA Zone will all be in action with Sudan who have political challenges back home hosting Togo in a Group B match in Saudi Arabia. Burundi will also play host to Gambia in a Group F match at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Djibouti will start their Group A campaign with a visit to Egypt, while Somalia will also play away to former African champions Algeria in a Group G tie. The Harambee Stars of Kenya led by inspirational skipper Micheal Olunga will play away to Gabon in a Group F battle.
Uganda Cranes under the guidance of their new experienced coach Paul Put will face a tricky test against Guinea in a Group G match to be played in Morocco. Tanzania and South Sudan will also play away matches against Niger and Senegal respectively on November 18th, 2023
Initially 54 African teams entered the qualifiers and were divided into nine groups with only the winners assured of a place at the finals. However Eritrea withdrew few weeks ago leaving Group E with five teams.
Groups
Group A: Egypt, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Djibouti
Group B: Senegal, DR Congo, Mauritania, Togo, Sudan, South Sudan
Group C: Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Lesotho
Group D: Cameroon, Cape Verde, Angola, Libya, Eswatini, Mauritius
Group E: Morocco, Zambia, Congo, Tanzania, Niger, Eritrea (withdrew)
Group F: Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, The Gambia, Burundi, Seychelles
Group G: Algeria, Guinea, Uganda, Mozambique, Botswana, Somalia
Group H: Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Malawi, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe
Group I: Mali, Ghana, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Comoros, Chad
The Amavubi of Rwanda are top of Group C with four points after two rounds in the qualifiers of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Under new coach Torsten Frank Spittler, Rwanda started the campaign with a goalless draw against Zimbabwe last week, and followed it with a sweet 2-0 win against South Africa in a match played on Monday in Huye Stadium, Butare.
The Amavubi are the only team in the group who have not conceded a goal after two matches, with second placed Bafana Bafana (3 points) having conceded three goals, and third placed Nigeria also two goals after two draws.
However, Spittler has made it clear that it is still too early to get excited. ” It is good we have four points after two matches. But we still have a lot of work to do ahead of the other matches of the qualifiers next year, ” added the coach.
In Group B Sudan are placed second after picking a draw against Togo and a 1-0 win against the Democratic Republic of Congo. Senegal who have the same number of points with Sudan have a better goal difference, and South Sudan are bottom of the group with one point. James Kwesi Appiah, the Sudan coach has said although the group is tough, they are also up to the task to perform well. ” After collecting four points, we need to keep working hard to be able to win more matches, ” he added.
Tanzania are placed fourth in Group E with three points after stopping Niger 1-0, but suffered a 2-0 defeat to 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finalists Morocco.
In Group F Kenya with three points are placed third with three points after they started the campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Gabon, but returned to humble Seychelles 5-0 in the second match. Burundi also with three points are placed fourth after stopping The Gambia 3-2 and lost 2-1 to Gabon in the second match played on Sunday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Uganda Cranes who lost their opening Group G match 2-1 to Guinea and stopped a 10-man Somalia team are placed fourth with three points. Somalia who lost all their two matches are bottom of the log. In Group A after one draw and a loss, Ethiopia are placed fifth, while Djibouti after two defeats are bottom of the group.
Action for the third and fourth round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers 2026 will return in March next year.
Group A: Egypt, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Djibouti
Group B: Senegal, DR Congo, Mauritania, Togo, Sudan, South Sudan
Group C: Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Lesotho
Group D: Cameroon, Cape Verde, Angola, Libya, Eswatini, Mauritius
Group E: Morocco, Zambia, Congo, Tanzania, Niger, Eritrea (withdrew)
Group F: Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, The Gambia, Burundi, Seychelles
Group G: Algeria, Guinea, Uganda, Mozambique, Botswana, Somalia
Group H: Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Malawi, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe
Sudan have maintained a good run in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers after playing two Group B matches since last week.
The Nile Crocodile of Sudan under new coach James Kwesi Appiah kick started the campaign with a 1-1 draw against Togo, and followed it up with a 1-0 win against DR Congo in a match played on Sunday in Libya.
An own goal by Charles Picked was enough for Sudan to pick maximum points against DR Congo at the Benina Maryrs Stadium in Libya. The Sudan team went top of the log with four points.
” We are happy that after two matches we have collected four points. But we continue to work hard ahead of other matches, ” said Appiah, Ghana’s former national coach.
In another match played on Sunday, Burundi suffered a 2-1 defeat to Gabon in a Group F match played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Jim Allevinah and Denis Bouanga scored for Gabon who picked their second straight win, while Abedi Bigirimana pulled a goal back later in the match. Burundi started their campaign with a 3-2 win against The Gambia last week.
On Monday evening Djibouti suffered a 1-0 defeat to 10-man Guinea Bissau, while Kenya humbled Seychelles 5-0 with skipper Micheal Olunga scoring a brace. Masoud Juma, Rooney Onyango and Benson Omala were also on the score sheet.
Action continues on Tuesday with six teams from the CECAFA Zone in action. Rwanda will hosts South Africa, while Somalia and Uganda will tussle it out in a Group G match to be played in Morocco. South Sudan will face Mauritania, while Ethiopia play Burkina Faso, and Tanzania host Morocco.
The Taifa Stars of Tanzania have made a fine start in Group E of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
Tanzania who will play at the AFCON 2023 kick started their campaign with a hard earned 1-0 win against Niger in a match played at the Marrakech Stadium in Morocco on Saturday evening.
Charles M’Mbombwa netted the lone goal after 56 minutes. The Niger team tried to fight back to level matters, but failed to break through the Taifa Stars defending line marshaled by Dickson Job, Ibrahim Bacca and Bakari Nondo Mwamnyeto.
Tanzania’s coach Adel Amrouche said it was good to start the campaign with a win, but added that they must get back and prepare for the next match against Morocco slated for November 21st in Dar es Salaam.
On the same day South Sudan suffered a 4-0 defeat away to Senegal in a Group B match played at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium.
Midfielder Pape Sarr opened the scoring for the Teranga Lions in the first minute. Later Sadio Mane picked a brace, and Lamine Camara also got on the score sheet.
On Friday Uganda Cranes also suffered a 2-1 loss to Guinea in a match played in Morocco. Aquibou Camara gave Guinea the lead in the 10th minute, but Fahd Bayo leveled matters for Uganda after 30 minutes. With four of added time before the end of the match Seydouba Cisse netted the winner for Guinea with a well taken free kick that beat Uganda’s goalkeeper Salim Salim Magoola.
Group A: Egypt, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Djibouti
Group B: Senegal, DR Congo, Mauritania, Togo, Sudan, South Sudan
Group C: Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Lesotho
Group D: Cameroon, Cape Verde, Angola, Libya, Eswatini, Mauritius
Group E: Morocco, Zambia, Congo, Tanzania, Niger, Eritrea (withdrew)
Group F: Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, The Gambia, Burundi, Seychelles
Group G: Algeria, Guinea, Uganda, Mozambique, Botswana, Somalia
Group H: Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Malawi, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe
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