Five nations may send Africa to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. These will be determined in five play-off matches in March 2022, including between Senegal and Egypt, Cameroon and Algeria, and Ghana and Nigeria.
While it is already clear in Europe that Portugal or Italy will have to watch the 2022 World Cup in front of their televisions, Africa now also knows that at least two major nations from the continent will not be allowed to participate in the World Cup finals in Qatar.
The draw at the weekend revealed that Liverpool FC stars Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah, among others, will have to battle it out with Senegal and Egypt for a place. In another hammer duel, Cameroon and Algeria, the current hosts of the Africa Cup and its still reigning title holders, will meet. The play-off match between Ghana and Nigeria is also one featuring two of the continent’s best teams. In addition, either Mali and Tunisia will surely be allowed to fly to Qatar. Morocco and DR Congo will also decide a World Cup participant among themselves.
The matches will be played between 23 and 29 March 2022, each with a first and second leg.
Ivory Coast already eliminated in previous qualifying round
The top ten teams from the first round qualified for the play-offs. In this round, four teams competed against each other in a group – Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire were among those who ended up in the same group. After Côte d’Ivoire had won the first direct duel, but had failed against Mozambique (0:0), Cameroon’s home victory against the “Elephants” on the last match day was enough to finish the group in first place. The current Africa Cup in Cameroon has no direct impact on World Cup qualification.
Since this 16 November 2021, it is thus already certain that the World Cup will take place without top African players such as Sebastien Haller, Wilfried Zaha or Franck Kessié. Soon either Mané or Salah will join that list.
The World Cup play-offs in Africa at a glance:
Egypt vs Senegal
Ghana vs Nigeria
Mali v Tunisia
DR Congo v Morocco
Cameroon v Algeria
