Nigeria and DR Congo meet in Rabat on Sunday knowing that a win could keep their World Cup dreams alive.
The Super Eagles defeated Gabon 4-1 after extra time to seal their spot in the final of the CAF playoff phase. DR Congo snatched a surprise 1-0 win over Cameroon to progress from their half of the mini-bracket.
The stakes could not be much higher: win this final, and there is still a chance of qualifying for next year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Lose, and that hope is gone.
The Jugo Mobile breaks down what will happen for the winning team.
What happens if Nigeria beat DR Congo?
The winner of the match between Nigeria and DR Congo on November 16 will progress to the inter-confederation playoff phase. In other words, they will keep their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup alive.
The winning team will join five other nations in that inter-confederation pool: Bolivia, New Caledonia, and three as-yet unconfirmed other teams (one from the AFC section, and two from CONCACAF).
In total, nine African nations qualified directly for next year’s tournament by virtue of finishing top of their qualification groups. While all other teams were eliminated from contention, the four best runners-up from that group phase — Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon, and Nigeria — earned a place in the CAF playoff round.
Those teams are then ranked according to their position in FIFA’s world rankings system, and a mini-tournament takes place. The four lowest-ranked teams are drawn into two single-elimination games, and the winners of those progress to face the highest-ranking sides. The two winning teams from those matches will qualify for the World Cup.
Who could Nigeria face in inter-confederation playoffs?
If Nigeria beat DR Congo and qualify for the inter-confederation playoffs, they know that, as things stand, they will be one of the top-two highest-ranked teams in the draw. That’s because Panama are the only nation in the running to qualify for this playoff section with a higher ranking than the Super Eagles.
This means Nigeria would face the winner of one of the games between the lower-ranked nations.
The draw for the playoffs takes place on November 20, 2025.
Teams in World Cup inter-confederation playoffs
| Team | Confederation | FIFA ranking |
| Bolivia | CONMEBOL | 76 |
| New Caledonia | OFC | 150 |
| Iraq or UAE | AFC | 57 / 67 |
| Nigeria or DR Congo | CAF | 41 / 60 |
| CONCACAF best two group runners-up | CONCACAF | |
| CONCACAF best two group runners-up | CONCACAF |
When are the World Cup inter-confederation playoffs?
The matches will take place in March 2026, reportedly in Mexico.
