by SAVIOUS KWINIKA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – AFRICAN football fans are in for a feast of action this week as the continent’s national teams clash in crucial FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
With only a few rounds remaining before places at the 2026 finals are decided, the competition has become fiercer than ever.
Historically, African football has been dominated by powerhouses from North and West Africa, but the current campaign has seen a seismic shift.
Southern African sides, once dismissed as minnows, are proving formidable challengers.
Nations such as South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Comoros and Madagascar are shaking up the traditional order and strengthening their bids to secure tickets to Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Still, the continent’s established giants are determined not to relinquish their dominance. Egypt, seven-time African champions, top Group A with 16 points from six matches, closely followed by Burkina Faso.
DR Congo lead Group B with 13 points, though Senegal trail by just one in what promises to be a thrilling finish.
In Group C, South Africa sit top with 13 points, while Nigeria, surprisingly fourth, face a daunting task to revive their campaign.
Another major surprise has come in Group D, where tiny Cape Verde lead with 13 points, ahead of heavyweights Cameroon.
Elsewhere, Morocco look uncatchable in Group E with 15 points, while Cote d’Ivoire and Gabon are separated by just one point in Group F.
Algeria lead Group G but face pressure from Mozambique, while Tunisia are four points clear in Group H, chased by Namibia.
In Group I, Ghana lead, but Comoros and Madagascar remain in contention.
The qualifiers come at a time when FIFA has expanded Africa’s slots at the 2026 tournament to nine, giving more nations a realistic shot at history.
The expanded format has emboldened smaller teams, many of whom are within touching distance of qualification.
This week’s fixtures, beginning Wednesday, will be decisive in shaping the road to North America. As underdogs battle giants across the continent, one thing is clear — African football is more competitive than ever.
Fixtures (3–5 September 2025):
WEDNESDAY, 3rd September 2025
Seychelles vs Gabon
THURSDAY, 4th September 2025
Chad vs Ghana
Algeria vs Botswana
Tunisia vs Liberia
Angola vs Libya
Guinea-Bissau vs Sierra Leone
Madagascar vs Central African Republic
Mauritius vs Cape Verde
Sao Tome and Principe vs Equatorial Guinea
Cameroon vs Eswatini
Mali vs Comoros
Tunisia vs Liberia
FRIDAY, 5th September 2025
Somalia vs Guinea
South Sudan vs DR Congo
Kenya vs Gambia
Namibia vs Malawi
Benin vs Zimbabwe
Djibouti vs Burkina Faso
Lesotho vs South Africa
Uganda vs Mozambique
Cote d’Ivoire vs Burundi
Egypt vs Ethiopia
Mauritania vs Togo
Morocco vs Niger
Senegal vs Sudan
– CAJ News