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African nations kick off qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with notable matches including the Democratic Republic of Congo vs. Mauritania, Ethiopia vs. Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe vs. Nigeria. Guinea Conakry hosts Paul Put’s Uganda Cranes at the in Municipal Stadium in Berkane

The race for the nine places allocated to African nations at the 2026 Fifa World Cup in USA, Mexico and Canada commences on Wednesday afternoon with four games on menu. In less than eight months after defeating Mauritania 3-1 in an African Nations Cup qualifier, Democratic Republic of Congo, the continent’s first-ever World Cup representatives, host the African team at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa. The match is in group B.

The Simbas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are one of the only  few African countries that will be allowed to host their home matches domestically due to more stringent regulations by FIFA, the world football governing body. The Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia will play Sierra Leone in their group A match today at Morocco’s Stade El Abdi, while Zimbabwe will host the crucial group C match against Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Sunday at Huye Stadium in Butare, Rwanda, four days after hosting the Amavubi Stars at the same location.

World Cup 2010 hosts South Africa, which was placed in the same group as Nigeria, the largest nation on the continent by population, will host its own games, which include Saturday’s group C match against Benin, Friday, November 17’s group D match between Eswatini and Libya, and Tuesday’s matchup with Cape Verde. In addition, Lesotho’s Crocodiles will host home games at Nelspruit, South Africa’s Mbombela Stadium.