The African continent’s World Cup qualification structure has three rounds. In the first round, a total of 26 teams ranked from the 28th place to the 53rd position play a home-and-away over two legs. After the play-off, 13 teams emerge as winners and make it into the next round of qualification- Round 2. In round 2, the 13 teams who qualified from the first round join teams that are ranked from 1st to 27th in the rankings. These 40 teams are paired and a home-and-away game over two legs sends 20 teams to round 3.
The 20 teams in round 3 are divided into five groups of four teams and will play a home-and-away round-robin matches. The winner of each group will automatically qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. So as it stands the first two rounds of qualification are over and we head into the last round of qualification.
African World Cup Qualifiers:
The draw for this round has produced some difficult groups with mouth-watering clashes.
In the final round were teams will be in five groups of four teams, will start in October and continue in August and November 2017.
Undoubtedly, the group of death is group B where four powerhouses of Africa will battle it out for the top spot of the group bearing in mind that any other position leaves the team out of the World Cup Finals in Russia. The group features Cameroon, Nigeria and Algeria, who all played at the last World Cup in Brazil. Zambia is the other team in the group; they were champions in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
It is going to be huge task for any of the teams in this group and it promises to be exciting. Cameroon have appeared at the World Cup seven times, the highest number by any country on the continent. However, it must be said that their last two appearances both 2010 and 2014 were disastrous, losing all group games in both tournaments.
The group also has the highest-ranked team in Africa, Algeria, in it. Nigeria who were in pot B during the seeding would have to beat the top dogs on the continent to top Group B.
Group C also sets up some interesting clashes with Cote d’Ivoire facing Mali, Morocco and Gabon in the group. There is some expected drama in group C as Herve Renard takes on Cote d’Ivoire with his new side Morocco in group C. Renard guided the Elephants to glory in last year’s Cup of Nations.
Meanwhile Group E could be a straight battle between Ghana and Egypt. Egypt have not qualified for the tournament since 1990. Ghana on the other hand have qualified for the last three World Cup Finals. Joining them in the group are Congo and Uganda.
Neighbours Libya and Morocco face-off in Group A. Congo DR and Guinea face a tough test as they would have to be beat Libya and Morocco if they have a chance of making to the World Cup.
African qualifying for the 2018 World Cup:
Group A
Tunisia, Libya, DR Congo, Guinea
Group B
Zambia, Cameroon, Algeria, Nigeria
Group C
Gabon, Mali, Ivory Coast, Morocco
Group D
Senegal, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde
Group E
Ghana, Egypt, Congo, Uganda
