Two teams from the CECAFA Zone Djibouti and South Sudan will this evening be in action away from home in Match 3 of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers 2026.

Djibouti will face Sierra Leone in a Group A match to be played in El Jadida in Morocco, while the Bright Star of South Sudan battle Togo in a Group B match in Lome.

The Djibouti team will be hungry to register their first win in the qualifiers having lost the first two matches played last year. In their opening match of the campaign Djibouti suffered a 6-0 defeat a way to Egypt, and later lost the second match 1-0 to 10-man Guinea Bissau.

Nicolas Dupius, the South Sudan coach has also made I clear that his players are determined to play their hearts out and get a good result. “We know Togo is not an easy team, but we have prepared well and are ready to give our best,” added Dupius.

The Bright Star started with a 4-0 defeat to Senegal, and battled to a goalless draw against Mauritania in the second Group B match.

On Thursday three other teams from the CECAFA Zone will also be in action with Ethiopia playing away to Guinea Bissau in a Group A tie, while Mauritania host Sudan in Nouakchott. Rwanda who have already garnered four points from two matches played will face Benin in Group C match to be played in Senegal

CECAFA giants Uganda will hosts Botswana in a Group G match at their refurbished Mandela National Stadium, Namboole on Friday. The Harambee Stars of Kenya will host Burundi in a Group F match to be played in Malawi, while Mozambique host Somalia with all matches to be played on Friday.

Fixtures for June 5^th, 2024

Sierra Leone vs Djibouti (Group A) | 1600 | El Jadida, Morocco

Togo vs South Sudan (Group B) | 1600 | Lome, Togo

Central African Republic vs Chad (Group I) | 1600 | Oujda, Morocco

Namibia vs Liberia (Group H) | 1600 | Johannesburg, South Africa

Tunisia vs Equatorial Guinea (Group H) | 1900 | Rades, Tunisia

Fixtures for June 6^th, 2024

Malawi vs Sao Tome e Principe (Group H) | 1300 | Lilongwe, Malawi

Guinea Bissau v Ethiopia (Group A) | 1600 | Bissau, Guinea Bissau

Mauritania v Sudan (Group B) | 1600 | Nouakchott, Mauritania

Libya v Mauritius (Group D) | 1600 | Tripoli, Libya

Congo v Niger (Group E) | 1600 | Kinshasa, DR Congo

Egypt v Burkina Faso (Group A) | 1900 | Cairo, Egypt

Senegal v DR Congo (Group B) | 1900 | Diamniadio, Senegal

Benin v Rwanda (Group C) | 1900 | Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire

Algeria v Guinea (Group G) | 1900 | Algiers, Algeria

Mali v Ghana (Group I) | 1900 | Bamako, Mali

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