The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has released updated guidelines on how the best runners-up in the African qualifiers for the Fifa World Cup 2026 will be determined, providing clarity amid a campaign marked by withdrawals and uneven group sizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Caf, the 54 African nations are divided into nine groups of six teams each. The winner of each group will qualify directly for the 2026 FifaWorld Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, the four best runners-up across all groups will advance to a centralized continental play-off to determine which African team will contest the intercontinental play-off tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Caf\u2019s updated criteria take into account the withdrawal of teams or other circumstances that reduce a group to fewer than five participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For groups affected, all results against the bottom-ranked team or any withdrawn team will be excluded when calculating points for the runners-up comparison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If more than one team withdraws or is disqualified from a group, an equivalent number of bottom-ranked teams will be excluded from the calculation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In practical terms, this affects several groups in the ongoing qualifiers. In Group E, already qualified Morocco leads alongside Niger, Tanzania, Zambia, and Congo Republic, following Eritrea\u2019s withdrawal before the start of the qualifiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Group G, Uganda\u2019s Cranes are poised to advance as Somalia, the bottom-ranked side, will be eliminated from the calculations. The Cranes currently sit on 12 points from six games before the final round of the qualifiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among the current runners-up across all groups, Gabon (22 points, Group F), DR Congo (19 points, Group B), Madagascar (19 points, Group I), and Cameroon (18 points, Group D) top the leaderboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other runners-up include Burkina Faso (18, Group A), South Africa (14, Group C), Niger (12, Group E), and Namibia (15, Group H).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CAF\u2019s clarification ensures a fair comparison among runners-up in a qualifying cycle disrupted by withdrawals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Uganda, it means that the Cranes\u2019 chances of finishing among Africa\u2019s top four runners-up will depend on their final match results as well as the outcomes in other groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the qualifiers approach their final stages, attention will shift to who can secure the crucial runners-up positions that offer a lifeline to World Cup contention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Editor:msserwanga@gmail.com<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has released updated guidelines on how the best runners-up in the African qualifiers for<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15671,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/media_54757100_54349813.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15700,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/list-of-qualified-african-teams-for-2026-fifa-world-cup-as-competition-enters-final-stages\/","url_meta":{"origin":15669,"position":0},"title":"List of qualified African teams for 2026 FIFA World Cup as competition enters final stages","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"October 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Out of the nine African groups, five teams have now qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in North America: Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco and Tunisia. The qualifying journey for next year's World Cup \u2014 a two-year process narrowing 206 nations down to 48 finalists \u2014 is entering its\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/EGYPT.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/EGYPT.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/EGYPT.jpg 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11912,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/fufa-not-sure-cranes-will-play-world-qualifiers-at-namboole-stadium\/","url_meta":{"origin":15669,"position":1},"title":"FUFA Not Sure Cranes Will Play World Qualifiers At Namboole Stadium","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"April 22, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"he Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) is in negotiations with the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to have\u00a0\u00a0Mandela Stadium\u00a0host Uganda Cranes\u2019 World Cup qualifiers in June. The Cranes are set to face Botswana and Algeria in match-day 3 and 4\u00a0 in June. Fufa is eager to have these crucial\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/sports-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/OIP-1.jpg","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13110,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/afcon-2025-qualifier-caf-awards-three-points-to-nigeria-fines-libya-50000\/","url_meta":{"origin":15669,"position":2},"title":"AFCON 2025 Qualifier: CAF Awards Three Points To Nigeria, Fines Libya $50,000","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"October 27, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"CAF has decided to award Nigeria 3 points and 3 goals after a ruling by the disciplinary board. Libya were found to have breached CAF disciplinary code and have thus forfeited the AFCON qualifier against Nigeria. The Libya Football Federation has also been fined USD $50,000.he Confederation of African Football\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/sports-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/super-eagles-Libya-2.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/super-eagles-Libya-2.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/super-eagles-Libya-2.jpg 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10008,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/afcon-2027-awarded-to-uganda-kenya-tanzania-as-nigeria-benin-republic-bid-fails\/","url_meta":{"origin":15669,"position":3},"title":"AFCON 2027 awarded to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania as Nigeria-Benin Republic bid fails","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"September 27, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded the rights to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations\u00a0 to three East African countries Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. This will be the first time in the history of this competition to be held in the East African region . The Confederation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Soccer"","block_context":{"text":"Soccer","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/soccer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/131267649_gettyimages-1692659693.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/131267649_gettyimages-1692659693.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/131267649_gettyimages-1692659693.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/131267649_gettyimages-1692659693.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8298,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/10-man-vipers-hold-horoya-to-register-first-point\/","url_meta":{"origin":15669,"position":4},"title":"10 man Vipers hold Horoya to register first point","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"February 19, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Visitors transported in Uganda made premium Kayoola Diesel Coach By Our Sports Reporter Home side Vipers SC forced a goalless draw in a tight CAF Champions group C qualifiers game with Guinea's Horoya AC played at Kitende stadium on Saturday afternoon . The home team which was reduced to 10\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Soccer"","block_context":{"text":"Soccer","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/soccer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/FB_IMG_16759210500453663.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/FB_IMG_16759210500453663.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/FB_IMG_16759210500453663.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/FB_IMG_16759210500453663.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16797,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/caf-general-secretary-steps-down-amid-afcon-final-fallout\/","url_meta":{"origin":15669,"position":5},"title":"Caf general secretary steps down amid Afcon final fallout","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"March 30, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The general secretary of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) says he has decided to \"step down\", an announcement that comes amid a chaotic time for football on the continent. Veron Mosengo-Omba said in a statement he was retiring, but his departure coincideswith the fallout over\u00a0decisions to strip Senegal of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8fe83090-2b76-11f1-915e-076b1d4be1dd.jpg.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8fe83090-2b76-11f1-915e-076b1d4be1dd.jpg.webp 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8fe83090-2b76-11f1-915e-076b1d4be1dd.jpg.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8fe83090-2b76-11f1-915e-076b1d4be1dd.jpg.webp 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pc0aOV-44J","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15669","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15669"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15669\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15672,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15669\/revisions\/15672"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15671"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15669"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15669"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15669"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}