The Super Eagles of Nigeria will have to wait for the next FIFA rankings update to know their opponents for the 2026 World Cup intercontinental playoffs.
Nigeria booked their place in the playoffs after a dominant 4-0 victory over Benin Republic, finishing as one of Africa’s four best runners-up in the qualifiers.
According to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), two semi-final matches will be played on November 13, followed by the final on November 16, with all fixtures scheduled to take place in Morocco.
However, the final pairings will be determined after FIFA releases its updated rankings on October 23.
CAF’s format stipulates that the highest-ranked team will play the lowest-ranked, while the second-highest faces the third-highest in the semi-finals.
At present, Nigeria (ranked 45th) are the highest-ranked African nation among the playoff teams, which makes them likely to face Gabon (ranked 79th) in their semi-final clash.
The winner of the African playoff will then advance to the intercontinental playoffs, joining teams from Bolivia, New Caledonia, two Central American nations, and one Asian representative to compete for the remaining World Cup slots.
