ZURICH: Nigeria will take on Gabon and Cameroon will play the Democratic Republic of Congo in the World Cup African playoff semifinals next month, the latest FIFA rankings have confirmed.
The four countries all advanced to the playoffs as the best runners-up across the nine African groups.
There is the possibility of an added slot for Africa at next year’s finals with the winners of next month’s playoffs advancing to an intercontinental playoff tournament in March from which the last two World Cup places will be decided.
The pairings for the African playoffs have the highest-ranked team in the FIFA rankings of October 23 playing the lowest-ranked, while the second-highest face the third-highest.
FIFA, however, issued the October rankings on Friday, earlier than it had previously scheduled.
Nigeria rose to 41st with Cameroon 54th and DR Congo 60th.
Gabon jumped two places to 77th from the September 18 rankings.
The semis will be on November 13 before a deciding match three days later, with the winners progressing.
Morocco is hosting next month’s playoffs but the venues are yet to be announced.
The group phase of the African qualifiers concluded on Tuesday with all the group winners qualifying automatically for next year’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the US
Pairings set for next month’s African World Cup playoffs
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Pairings set for next month’s African World Cup playoffs
- The four countries all advanced to the playoffs as the best runners-up across the nine African groups
- FIFA, however, issued the October rankings on Friday, earlier than it had previously scheduled
Euro 2028 to kick off in Cardiff, final set for Wembley
- The semifinals and one quarter-final will also be held at Wembley
- “At UEFA EURO 2028, we will all speak football – loud, clear and united,” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said
LONDON: Cardiff will host the opening match of the 2028 European Championship on June 9, with the final scheduled for London’s Wembley Stadium on July 9, tournament organizers UEFA announced on Wednesday.
The tournament, co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, will feature 51 matches involving 24 nations across nine venues in eight cities, also including Birmingham, Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.
The semifinals and one quarter-final will also be held at Wembley, while the other last-eight matches will be staged in Dublin, Glasgow and Cardiff.
Matches in the round of 16 will be distributed across all host venues, with the exception of Wembley. Host nations that qualify for the tournament directly will see their group-stage matches played on home soil.
“At UEFA EURO 2028, we will all speak football – loud, clear and united,” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement.
“The host nations, where the game first took shape, are eager to welcome millions of fans into legendary stadiums...
“In the way matches are staged – including a new, more convenient kick-off time for the final ... we want to maximize the fan experience.”
UEFA has confirmed three kick-off times for the tournament: 1400 GMT, 1700 GMT and 2000 GMT.
The tournament is projected to generate 3.6 billion pounds ($4.83 billion) in socio-economic benefits for the UK and Ireland between 2028 and 2031, according to an independent assessment, UEFA said.
These benefits include job creation, regional prosperity and spending from international visitors.
The UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Government of Ireland have collectively pledged up to 740 million pounds ($993.15 million) in funding to ensure the “event is safe, secure and offers a world-class experience” for fans and host communities alike.
“The scale of the tournament will have a really positive impact on communities throughout the country,” England FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.
“This will be a tournament for the fans, with their experience at the heart of our planning.”
In May, Europe’s soccer governing body UEFA said England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales would participate in qualifying for Euro 2028, with only two spots reserved if they do not make it to the tournament.
England finished runners-up at Euro 2024 while Scotland were knocked out in the group stage. Wales and Ireland did not qualify for last year’s tournament hosted by Germany.
Belfast has been chosen to host the Euro 2028 qualifying draw, scheduled to take place in Northern Ireland’s capital on December 6, 2026.
