July 13, (THEWILL) – Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and Lesotho have been drawn together in Group C for the FIFA World Cup™ 2026 African Preliminary Qualifiers.
The official draw, held in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, marked the beginning of the journey towards the prestigious tournament set to take place in Canada, Mexico, and the USA. A total of 54 African nations will vie for the 9.5 allocated spots for Africa. The group winners will automatically secure qualification for the World Cup, while the four best runners-up will participate in a CAF Play-Off tournament for a chance to compete in the FIFA Play-Off Tournament as a potential 10th African representative.
In Group C, Nigeria and South Africa, two heavyweight African football nations, find themselves pitted against each other. Alongside them are Benin, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and Lesotho. The stage is set for an intense battle among these teams as they seek to secure their places in the FIFA World Cup™ 2026. With a blend of experienced players and emerging talents, Group C promises to provide captivating football and fierce competition.
The qualifiers are scheduled to kick off in November, setting the tone for the months of excitement and anticipation that lie ahead. Each team will have to bring their A-game to secure one of the coveted qualification spots. Football fans across Africa will be eagerly following the progress of Group C, as these nations battle it out for the opportunity to shine on the world stage.
The rest of the Preliminary Qualifiers are as follows:
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
Group F:
Côte d’Ivoire
Gabon
Kenya
The Gambia
Burundi
Seychelles
Group G:
Algeria
Guinea
Uganda
Mozambique
Botswana
Somalia
Group H:
Tunisia
Equatorial Guinea
Namibia
Malawi
Liberia
São Tomé & Príncipe
Group I:
Mali
Ghana
Madagascar
Central African Republic
Comoros
Chad
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
